Monijiao (Manichaeism) in China Excerpted from a lecture presented in Beijing, September 16, 2012. Dr. Char Yar, University for Historical and Cultural Research http://research.charyar.com/ In certain scholastic circles we often hear of the disappearance of the Manichaean religion in China, however, history shows that the religion did not actually disappear but experienced a decline as a distinctly Persian religion residing a foreign land. ...Manichaeism originated in Babylon and was expressed in Syriac and Persian terms . The religion quickly spread to other lands such as India, China, Tibet and even into the Western hemisphere. In the West adherents were severely persecuted and murdered by Christians leaders and members of the Catholic church.... In the East, where Manichaeism became strongest, it was known by different names ...Mingjiao (ming jiao), Monijiao (mo-ni jiao), Daiun komyo ji (a name for Monijiao temples and religious educational institutions in 768).... In China, Monijiao accepted both the general Buddhist scriptures alongside those of Daoists. Monijiao accepted Amitabha Buddha (Amida), Ksitigarbha, Laotzu, and Manjusri as divine messengers as well as the majority of other Bodhisattvas. In the Monijiao tradition, Mani (Moni) is viewed as an emanation of Laotzu. ....As late as the 1200's, Shinran Shonen , the founder of what has become known as the Jodo Shinshu school of Japan, was also viewed as a divine messenger. Connections between the teachings of Monijiao and that of Shonen have already been shown by Arthur Lloyd in his works Shinran and His Work (1910) and The Creed of Half Japan (1911). The various Pure Land Buddhist schools have had a great deal of influence from Monijiao in China, Japan and Tibet, so much that it would not be improper to designate some of these schools as Monijiao sects. ... During and after the 14th century in southern China, adherents of Monijiao became more involved with the Pure Land Mahayana schools of Buddhism. It is no surprise the majority of Monijiao were absorbed into these sects and practiced their rituals alongside those of Pure Land and Daoism. In fact we can say, without a doubt, that Monijiao became a Pure Land Buddhist Daoist religious practice, barely able to be distinguished externally from that of some other schools. As in the case with traditinonal Buddhism before it, Monijiao was able to adapt to whatever culture it encountered, not only adopting the external practices but also appropriating the symbolism, names of celestial beings and the cosmological outlook of the religions around it. Thus, in this manner, Monijiao has been able to survive even to this day, posessing a continual stream of transmission of the Dharma in its own right. .... Portions of Monijiao scriptures can be found in the Buddhist canon. ...The Hua-hu-ching and the Erh-tsung-ching.