Zn 1− x Mn x S nanowires were successfully synthesized by using thermal evaporation of ZnS and MnCl 2 on silicon substrates with the presence of Au catalyst. In the as-grown nanowires with wurtzite ZnS structure, no impurities and second phase were detected up to 30 mol% Mn content. Two PL emission bands were observed and attributed to ZnS emission and Mn 2+ emission, respectively. The magnetization of ZnS: Mn nanowires were measured using SQUID magnetometer. Results indicated that the ZnS: Mn nanowires had paramagnetic behavior. The XRD, PL and magnetic properties showed that Mn was doped into the lattice structure instead of Mn precipitation or second phase.