There are many aspects of Manichaeism that point to a connection between this religion and merchants.Manichaean texts often use images of traders,travellers and merchants.There is some anecdotal evidence.The luxurious and expensive Manichaean books can be seen as expressions of the wealth generated by trade.The most obvious evidence is the presence of Manichaeans along trade routes.However this applies to all religions that spread along the Silk Road and,in fact,the religious travellers are atypical because they travel long distances in one direction rather than taking part in the cyclical trade networks.Could Manichaeans travelling on the Silk Road have also been traders? The division of the Manichaean community between Chosen ones and Hearers suggests that any merchants involved in Manichaeism would have been Hearers at best and perhaps not even that.A Manichaean Chosen one had to live a very restricted life and therefore could not have conducted business.