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
9 (of 25)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
53
the reactions.
Alchemical passages are explained in terms
of the theory of Yin and Yang and that of five elements.
He mentions one fundamental concept of alchemy that changes
happen or substances interact if they are from similar
categories.
12 Ge Hong and Bao-pu-zi13
After Wei Bo-yang, in the fourth century AD the
adept-alchemist Ge Hong appeared on the scene of Chinese
alchemy. He is the author of the text "Bao-pu-zi" (The
book of the preservation-of-solidarity master). This
famous alchemical text is the earliest on alchemical
The chapters are divided into two parts.
(esoteric or inner chapters) and Wai-pian]
practice.
Nei-pian
14 15
(exoteric or outer chapters). Ge Hong mostly discusses
12 ;#
13 抱朴子
14 丙篇
15 外篇
