Nestorian Stele
The so-called Nestorian Stele (Chinese大秦 景教 流行 中国 碑/大秦 景教 流行 中国 碑, Pinyin Daqing Jǐngjiào Liuxing Zhōngguó at, stele to spread the religion of the light from Daqing in China '), according to an old name for the location Xi ' in Shaanxi province also called stele of Sianfu, is a 781 during the Tang Dynasty stele erected.
She wears a name in the Assyrian Church of the East, the so-called Nestorian Church, written inscription that commemorates the arrival of the first missionaries in China about one and a half centuries earlier.
The text of almost three meters high and three feet wide limestone panel documented the spread of Christian communities in various parts of North China, and shows that the church had initially received recognition by the Tang Emperor Taizong in 635.
On top of the stone is nine characters: " stele to spread the religion of the light from Daqing in China" (the church described himself as a " religion of light from Daqing "), whereby Daqing since the Han period a Chinese term for the Roman Empire.
It was 781 situated in the capital Chang'an (today's Xi'an ) or in the near Zhouzhi (formerly盩 厔written ). The calligrapher Lü Xiuyan (吕秀 岩) and the text was from the Nestorian monk Jingjing (景 净) written in four-and six - character - pianti style (a total of 1,756 Chinese characters) and a few lines in Syriac script (70 words).
There is a cross at the head of the table. God is referred to as "True Majesty " (真主), the text speaks of the creation of the world, the Cross and of baptism. He also pays tribute to the missionaries and patrons of the church tribute, of which it is known that they have reached 640 in China. A register containing the names of Christian priests, many of whom are of Persian origin.
The stele was in the late Ming Dynasty ( 1625) on Chongren Temple (崇仁 寺) excavated, where it was housed for several centuries.
Excerpt
Cum grano salis translated as:
Reception
The text was first translated and published by Athanasius Kircher with the help of Michael Boym. Numerous researchers have since engaged with her, including Alexander Wylie, Arthur Christopher Moule, PY Saeki and Paul Pelliot.
Stele Forest
The stele is now in the museum Stele Forest of Xi'an, issued a museum in the city of Xi'an ( video).
Literature (selection )
- Frits Holm: My Nestorian Adventure in China. A Popular Account of the Holm- Nestorian Expedition to Sian - Fu and Its Results. With an introduction by Abraham Yohannan. Hutchinson, London, 1924 ( reprint: Gorgias Press, Piscataway NJ 2001, ISBN 0-9713097-6-0 ( Gorgias Reprint Series 6 ) ( online text ).
- Xu Longfei: The Nestorian Stele in Xi'an. Encounter between Christianity and Chinese culture. Borengässer, Bonn 2004, ISBN 3-923946 66 X (Encounter 12) ( At the same time: . Bonn Univ, Diss, 2003).
- Paul Pelliot: Recherches sur les d'Asie centrale et chrétiens d' Extrême -Orient. Volume II / 1: La stele de Si - ngan - fou. Maisonneuve, Paris 1984, ISBN 2-900927-16-1 ( posthumous ouvre de Paul Pelliot ).
- Paul Pelliot: L' Inscription nestorienne de Si - ngan - fou. Edited by Antonino Forte with Supplements. Scuola di Studi sull'Asia Orientale, among other things, Kyoto 1996, ISBN 4-900793-12-4.
- P. Y. Saeki: The Nestorian Monument in China. Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, London, 1916.