Essay name: Alchemy in India and China
Author:
Vijaya Jayant Deshpande
Affiliation: Panjab University / Department of Chemistry
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.
Chapter 3 - Chinese alchemy
12 (of 25)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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56
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 Sino-
Indian 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.
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Being a pharmaceutical naturalist,
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