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Chinese alchemy emerged in the Han dynasty (202 B.C.～A.D. 220). Ge Hong of the Jin Dynasty (265～420) wrote Bao Pu Zi, a complete monograph on alchemy passed down to the present. Up to now, “Sheng Dan” and “Jiang Dan” have been generally used externally, and they are what Ge Hong came across through his chemical experiments. Dr. Joseph Needham, the well-known British scholar, believed “medical chemistry originated in China.” In the Tang Dynasty (618～907), China’s alchemy had reached it's full
bloom. Having spread to Arabian countries, it promoted the development of
alchemy in that region. Later, the Arabian alchemy was introduced to Europe. After
evolutions, it finally developed into a significant discipline of
modern science – chemistry. |
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| Portrait of Ge Hong Engraved on the Ge Ling Stone Tablet by the West Lake, Hangzhou (ruined) |
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