Technikatörténeti szemle 22. (1996)

Papers from the Second International Conference on the History of Chemistry and Chemical Industry (Eger, Hungary, 16–19 August, 1995) - Pérez-Bustamente, A. Juan: The Holistic Concept of Alchemy

itual ennoblement. Alchemy Is based on a peculiar Cosmovision, a sort of syncretic Natural Philosophy. Alchemy is a metaphysical and esoteric dialectics of complementary oppositions which are great in number and of very important meaning related to essential aspects of the nature of the created Universe (order-disorder, creation-destruction, love-hate, sympathy-antipathy, macrocosmosmicrocosmos, expansin-contraction, body-spirit, fixed-volatile, male-female, sulphur-mercury "yin-yang", king-queen, etc.) including quite a variety of concepts of cosmological type, magics, astrology, psichology, sexuality, matter quality, individuality, etc. The achievement of the "alchemical „work" implies often what we now call chemical reactions and is based in the obtention of a hybrid end-product symbolised in many ways (Hermafrodite, Rebis, Androgine, Prajapati, etc.) whereby the alchemical union of contraries is described in sexual terms (alchemical wedding) taking into consideration the decisslve role played by specially active, even animated substances ("elixirs") to promote the alchemical union of contraries, whereby concepts related to penetrating power, autorreproductive power ("catalytic" actions), colouring powers, vital forces, animation, etc. are systematically present to achieve the desired ennoblement or purification of low-quality matters and bodyes. An oversimplified general alchemical essential picture can be outlined as follows: transmutation (alchemical wedding) A + B ». under suitable selection of: - place and rituals - starting materials - active soul-rich elixirs - experimental devices and reaction conditions "GREAT WORK", "OPUS MAIOR" - Philosopher's Stone - Great Elixir - Azoth - Philosophical mercury - Potable gold, live-gold, ferment-gold - Hermafrodite, Rebis, Androgine - Inmortality Where the starting reacting substances (real or symbolic) A and B are two primary, opposite and complementary principles. Depending on the alchemical context (exoteric or esoteric Alchemy) element A can be identified with Sun, King, sulphur or "yang", while element B may correspond to Moon, Queen, mercury or "yin". As main qualitative properties related to A we may consider: positive, active, dry, light, volatile, spirit, warm, male, father, donator, even, celestial (uranic), clearness, etc. while contrary qualities are associated with element B: negative, passive, wet, heavy, fixed, matter (body), cold, mother, accep-