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 6 - Transmission of Alchemical and Chemical ideas (Part 2)
39 (of 48)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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169
but was referred to as "a metal of the appearance of tin,
i.e. "kutilasankasam".
Later alchemical texts such as
36 Dhatu-manjari and Dhātūkriya' which are the works of the
thirteenth to fifteenth century AD, zinc bore a separate
name. It was recognised as the metal which is responsible
for making brass from copper and was given the names like
Yasada or Yasadayaka (one which confers success in
alchemical operations), Jasada or Jasta.
37 Zinc was exported to Europe from China since
about 1605 AD. It was called "Tutenag". Its nature or
process of extraction was not known to the Europeans at
that time. It was also spelt in a number of curious
ways as "tooth and egg" metal or "toothnage". The
Portuguese name for zinc was "Tutenaque".
Also a white
alloy of copper, zinc, nickel and iron was called by the
same name, when it was exported from China to Europe in
the early nineteenth century.
A seventeenth century Chinese author writes,
38 Ya qian 39
(poor lead or zinc) is also called
Totamu, a word derived from a foreign language.
We do not know what this metal is, but it
belongs to the category of lead, whereupon it
is called "inferior lead".
36.
37.
Needham, Joseph (1), Vol. V., Pt. 2, p. 212.
Ray, P., see Secondary Sources, p. 197.
38 亜鉛
39 止多
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