''Icon of Mani'' ( ja, マニ像; Icon of Mani) is a

silk painting Silk painting refers to paintings on silk. They are a traditional way of painting in Asia. Methods vary, but using traditional supplies of 100% silk fabric, stretched in a frame, and applying textile paints or dyes are the beginnings of an amazing ...

hanging scroll A hanging scroll is one of the many traditional ways to display and exhibit East Asian painting and calligraphy. The hanging scroll was displayed in a room for appreciation; it is to be distinguished from the handscroll, which was narrower and ...

from the Yuan or

Ming The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

period, from the coastal area of southern China, depicting Mani. The portrait of the founder

Mani Mani may refer to: Geography * Maní, Casanare, a town and municipality in Casanare Department, Colombia * Mani, Chad, a town and sub-prefecture in Chad * Mani, Evros, a village in northeastern Greece * Mani, Karnataka, a village in Dakshi ...

has been completely

Sinicized Sinicization, sinofication, sinification, or sinonization (from the prefix , 'Chinese, relating to China') is the process by which non-Chinese societies come under the influence of Chinese culture, particularly the language, societal norms, cul ...

Discovery process

The black and white photo of this painting was originally published in the 1937 Japanese Oriental Art Periodical "Guo Hua", but did not give the location of the collection and other relevant information. According to the research of Hungarian Asian religious art historian

Zsuzsanna Gulácsi Zsuzsanna Gulácsi (Chinese name: ; Persian name: ; born on 10 April 1966) is a Hungarian-born American historian, art historian of pan-Asiatic religions. She is a professor of art history, Asian studies, and comparative religious studies at ...

, the painting has similar features to the Mani statue depicted in the "

Sermon on Mani's Teaching of Salvation ''Sermon on Mani's Teaching of Salvation'' ( zh, t=冥王聖幀, l=Sacred Scroll of the King of the Underworld) is a Yuan dynasty silk hanging scroll, measuring 142 × 59 centimetres and dating from the 13th century, with didactic themes: a multi ...

". It should be an icon used by Manichae in southern China for religious worship. Originally it was not possible to verify the source, so it is generally believed that it was lost during World War II. However, the documentary linguistics professor Yoshida of Kyoto University discovered the original work of "Icon of Mani" at the Fujita Museum of Art in Osaka, Japan in 2019. Later, the painting was exhibited at the "National Treasure No. Fujita Museum Exhibition" at the Nara National Museum. "On public display.

Gallery

File:Icon of Mani 2.jpg, Details of the main image of the original painting File:Icon of Mani.jpg, Black and white photos published on "Guo Hua" File:Icon of Mani (Detail 1).jpg, Details of the main image: the jewel ring worn on the chest, the black square pattern on the white robe File:Icon of Mani (Detail 2).jpg, Lianhuatai details: the performance of the mani Lotte, it can be seen that his costume also has the style of

Western Regions The Western Regions or Xiyu (Hsi-yü; ) was a historical name specified in the Chinese chronicles between the 3rd century BC to the 8th century AD that referred to the regions west of Yumen Pass, most often Central Asia or sometimes more spe ...

; Comparison with the "Buddha of Light" statue The comparison chart made by

compares the details of the painting with the Mani statue in "Icon of Mani" and the "Buddha of Light" statue of Mani in

Cao'an Cao'an ( Samuel N. C. Lieu and Ken ParryManichaean and (Nestorian) Christian Remains in Zayton (Quanzhou, South China). ARC DP0557098) is a temple in Jinjiang, Fujian, . Originally constructed by Chinese Manicheans, it was considered by later wo ...

in Quanzhou. File:Comparison - Icon of Mani 1.jpg File:Comparison - Icon of Mani 2.jpg File:Comparison - Icon of Mani 3.jpg File:Comparison - Icon of Mani 4.jpg

Excursus

Collection of Chinese Manichaean Hanging Scrolls

Eight silk hanging scrolls with Manichaean didactic images from southern China from between the 12th and the 15th centuries, which can be divided into four categories: ; Two single portraits (depicting Mani and Jesus) * Icon of Mani * ''

Manichaean Painting of the Buddha Jesus The ''Manichaean Painting of the Buddha Jesus'' ( zh, t=夷數佛幀, w=I2-shu4 fo2-chên1, p=Yí shù fó zhēn; ), is a Chinese Southern Song dynasty silk hanging scroll preserved at the Seiunji Temple in Kōshū, Yamanashi, Japan. It measures ...

'' ; One scroll depicting

Salvation Theory Soteriology (; el, σωτηρία ' "salvation" from σωτήρ ' "savior, preserver" and λόγος ' "study" or "word") is the study of religious doctrines of salvation. Salvation theory occupies a place of special significance in many religio ...

() * ''

'' ; Four scrolls depicting Prophetology () * Mani's Parents *

Birth of Mani ''The Birth of Mani'' is a 摩尼教, Manichean silk cloth color painting painted in the Fujian Province, Fujian Zhejiang area during the 元朝, Yuan period, depicting the founder of the sect Mani (prophet), Mani The scene of birth, a scholar w ...

* Episodes from Mani's Missionary Work * Mani's Community Established ; One scroll depicting

Cosmology Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount (lexicographer), Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', and in 1731 taken up in ...

() *

Manichaean Diagram of the Universe The ''Manichaean Diagram of the Universe'' ( zh, t=摩尼教宇宙圖; ja, マニ教宇宙図) is a Yuan dynasty silk painting describing the cosmology of Manichaeism, in other words, the structure of universe according to Manichaean vision. The ...

References

{{Manichaeism footer Chinese Manichaean art Yuan dynasty art Ming dynasty painting