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Alchemy (from Arabic: al-kīmiyā; from Ancient Greek: χυμεία, khumeía) is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practised in China, India, the Muslim world, and Europe.
- Overview
- Nature and significance
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Alchemy was a form of speculative thought that, among other aims, tried to transform base metals such as lead or copper into silver or gold. It also sought to discover cures for diseases and a way of extending life.
What are the metals of alchemy?
Gold, silver, copper, lead, iron, and tin are the metals of alchemy. Mercury and sulfur were also crucial to alchemy.
Which is the oldest known Chinese text on alchemy?
The oldest known Chinese alchemical treatise is the Chou-i ts’an t’ung ch’i (“Commentary on the I Ching”). It is mainly an apocryphal interpretation of the I Ching, an ancient classic, relating alchemy to the mystical mathematics of the 64 hexagrams (six-line figures used for divination).
alchemy, a form of speculative thought that, among other aims, tried to transform base metals such as lead or copper into silver or gold and to discover a cure for disease and a way of extending life.
That both astrology and alchemy may be regarded as fundamental aspects of thought is indicated by their apparent universality. It is notable, however, that the evidence is not equally substantial in all times and places. Evidence from ancient Middle America (Aztecs, Mayans) is still almost nonexistent; evidence from India is tenuous and from ancient China, Greece, and Islamic lands is only relatively more plentiful. A single manuscript of some 80,000 words is the principal source for the history of Greek alchemy. Chinese alchemy is largely recorded in about 100 “books” that are part of the Taoist canon. Neither Indian nor Islamic alchemy has ever been collected, and scholars are thus dependent for their knowledge of the subject on occasional allusions in works of natural philosophy and medicine, plus a few specifically alchemical works.
Nor is it really clear what alchemy was (or is). The word is a European one, derived from Arabic, but the origin of the root word, chem, is uncertain. Words similar to it have been found in most ancient languages, with different meanings, but conceivably somehow related to alchemy. In fact, the Greeks, Chinese, and Indians usually referred to what Westerners call alchemy as “The Art,” or by terms denoting change or transmutation.
Alchemy is a form of speculative thought that tried to transform base metals into gold and to discover a cure for disease and a way of extending life. Learn about the origins, methods, goals, and significance of alchemy in different cultures and times.
Learn about the history, origin, and usage of the word alchemy, which refers to a medieval chemical science and speculative philosophy, or a mysterious transformation of something. See examples, synonyms, and related words for alchemy.
Aug 24, 2023 · Alchemy is an ancient practice aimed at recreating precious substances using recipes and transformative materials such as the philosopher's stone. Alchemists believed that materials like gold, silver, gems, and purple dye could be recreated if the right combination of ingredients and transformative methods were found.
- Mark Cartwright
- Alchemy means the pursuit of certain chemical experiments to transform base metals into gold, increase the efficiency of known medicines, and find...
- Although alchemy is known for the pursuit of a means to turn base metals into gold, it did have a spiritual side when it became an allegory or perh...
- The study of alchemy goes back to antiquity and involves finding a chemical way to change base metals into gold. Alchemists believed this could be...
Alchemy offers powerful APIs, SDKs, and tools to build and scale web3 apps with ease. It provides fast, reliable, and secure access to blockchain data and transactions for various use cases and chains.
Alchemy: Learn about what it is, the history behind the art of alchemy and the elements involved in this fantastic resource from the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Chemistry - Alchemy, Transmutation, Philosopher's Stone: Three different sets of ideas and skills fed into the origin of alchemy. First was the empirical sophistication of jewelers, gold- and silversmiths, and other artisans who had learned how to fashion precious and semiprecious materials.
