UYGHUR PAINTING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF MANCHEISM

The Uighur State, which alone ruled over East Turkestan in the pre-Islamic period, has become an economically and culturally significant center. Located along the Silk Road, a trade and cultural route connecting civilizations between Asia and Europe, the Uighurs has been in contact with various cultures and belief systems due to their strategic location. This situation has played a crucial role in the diversification of their artistic expression. The religions they adopted during this period, particularly Buddhism and Manichaeism, has become the primary source of production of Uighur art. Manichaeism is a universal religion with a gnostic and dualistic character, founded by Mani in Mesopotamia in the 3rd century, developed through the syncretism of belief systems from various cultures. Mani, who was also a painter himself, utilized art as an effective tool to spread his teachings, prepared texts enriched with paintings and miniatures. Manichaeism, which spread to vast geographical areas through Sogdian merchants over trade routes, has been accepted as the official state religion of the Uighur State with the embracing of Bögü Khagan in the 8th century. Manichaeism has caused a significant transformation in the socio-cultural structure and the scope of artistic production forms of the Uighurs. The deep connection between Manichaeism and art manifests particularly through symbolism and metaphysical themes. The narratives based on symbolism, basically depicting the universal conflict between light and darkness, the contrast between good and evil, have created a distinctive style in Uighur art. Religious scenes and cosmological stories, enriched with symbols and allegories, stands out in murals and miniatures produced under the influence of Manichaeism. In Manichaean Uighur paintings, as well as figures symbolizing religious teachings, Uighur rulers’ adherence to these teachings are also depicted. This situation is also seen in early Islamic miniatures. The importance Manichaeism placed on art glorified the universal aesthetic understanding of Uighur art, carrying the Uighurs in a significant position in the history of art.

Keywords

Manichaeism, Manichaean art, Uyghur art, Central Asian Turkish art, Symbolism, Dualist cosmology, Cultural interaction.