Alchemy in India and China
by Vijaya Jayant Deshpande | 1988 | 42,318 words
The thesis "Alchemy in India and China" explores the comparative aspects of alchemy in these two countries, focusing on chemical and protochemical formulations while addressing why modern science developed in the West rather than in India or China. It briefly touches upon internal alchemy in China and the ritualistic tantra in India....
6. The Golden Period of Chinese Alchemy
The centuries between 400 to 800 AD were the golden period of Chinese alchemy. We find great alchemical activity during this period. Alchemy received support from the emperors of this age, i.e., of the Jin and Tang dynasties. It is important to note that this period includes a greater part of the Tang dynasty when the SinoIndian contacts were at their peak. Travels by the Buddhists between India and China and translations of Buddhist texts into Chinese were maximum in the Tang dynasty. References to transmission of philosophic as well as scientific ideas are found in the texts written during these centuries. 18 The most celebrated alchemist of the fifth to sixth century AD was Tao Hong-jing (456 AD to 536 AD). He was a great physician and a pharmaceutical naturalist. 19 In his time Liang Wu-di, a devout Buddhist, was the emperor. He took keen interest in Tao Hong-jing's preparations of elixirs. 18 ・tao hong jing Being a pharmaceutical naturalist, 19 liang wu di
57 his elixirs were simpler and safer for administration. all probability he was subliming chlorides of mercury at the end of the fifth century AD and knew about its germicidal properties. The alchemical tradition continued through the 20 disciples of Tao Hong-jing, like Wang Yuan-ji and his disciple Pan Shi-cheng. 21