Traditionally, it is believed that Manichaeism was introduced to China in the first year of Wu Zetian's Yanzai era, in 694 AD. However, according to the latest archaeological records, this religion had already spread among the people during the Sixteen Kingdoms Period.
The reason for its entry into the official view during Wu Zetian's era is quite simple. As Wu Zetian, the female ruler of her generation, saw herself as an incarnation of Maitreya Buddha, Manichaeism successfully entered the Central Plain by pretending to be a branch of Buddhism.
To achieve this goal, Persian Firdausi Persson disguised himself as a high-ranking monk and presented the "Dual Deity Sutra" to Wu Zetian.
The so-called Dual Deity was actually the God of Light and Darkness within Manichaeism. To gain the acceptance of Wu Zetian, who believed in Buddhism, especially the Maitreya Sect, this sutra used Buddhist language, and even Mani was transformed into an incarnation of Maitreya, Mani Light Buddha.
