Light Bearer: Illustrated Guide to Manichaeism

Author: Ma Xiaohuo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: This book tells the story of the Manichaeism, the state religion of the Uyghur Khanate, spreading into the Central Plains after the An Lushan Rebellion in the Tang Dynasty, in a picture-and-word format. The illustrations are exquisite and rich in religious color, suitable for both appreciation and research. Here, various cultures generate and evolve, colliding and merging. The rugged nomadic culture is just one aspect. The urban states in the oases and the stable life of agricultural societies also produced splendid civilizations. The "Silk Road" stretching across Europe and Asia not only transmitted material goods but also spiritual ideas. The major cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva in the late Middle Ages became outstanding centers of human intellectual exploration and artistic creation. The relatively closed inland region provided the greatest possible opportunities for various ethnic groups to create rich and timeless artistic masterpieces.