摩尼教

Móníjiào

popculture

Meanings

1 Manichaeism, dualistic religion founded by the Persian prophet Mani in the 3rd century

Characters

(transliteration: Ma-)

(transliteration: -ni)

religion / teaching

Examples

摩尼教在唐朝传入中国。

Móníjiào zài Tángcháo chuán rù Zhōngguó.

Manichaeism was introduced into China during the Tang dynasty.

金庸小说里的明教就是摩尼教的分支。

Jīnyōng xiǎoshuō lǐ de Míngjiào jiùshì Móníjiào de fēnzhī.

The 'Ming Cult' in Jin Yong's novels is a branch of Manichaeism.

Tips

history

Founded by Mani (摩尼 c. 216-274 CE) in Sasanian Persia, Manichaeism teaches a cosmic dualism of light versus dark. It reached Tang China via the Silk Road and survived underground in Fujian for centuries as 明教 'Religion of Light' — the same sect Jin Yong romanticized in 倚天屠龙记 (The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber).

In Pop Culture

倚天屠龙记 Yǐtiān Túlóng Jì

The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber

Jin Yong wuxia novel where the protagonist Zhang Wuji becomes leader of the Ming Cult (明教), the fictionalized Chinese branch of Manichaeism.

Stroke Order

摩 mó

尼 ní

教 jiāo