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

("eritrosis" or "rubedo") to arrive finally to a pure state of autorreproductive gold ("iosis") which symbolizes the final goal of utopical alchemy ("Elixir of Life", "Philosopher's Stone"). A most important aspect of alchemy is bound to metals and their generation, the protagonism of which was equally relevant both in occidental and oriental alchemical systems. Metals have been very closely connected with astrology in Alchemy being often considered to be solidified cosmic forces or energies within the macrocosmos-microcosmos philosophy. Three different approaches to the subject of the generation of metals are outlined in fig.14 under consideration of the sulphur-mercury arabic theory as derived from the aristotleian "two-exhalatlons"-theory, the stoic interpretation based on the interpénétration of the active "pneuma" (spirit) on the passive matter and finally the chínese theory based on the interaction of the two opposed ÍÍ Aristotelic derivation HERCURY - "shaky" - evades fin exhalation HERCURY - "shaky" - evades fin exhalation HERCURY - "shaky" - evades fin exhalation SULPHUR - fatty - inflanotable exhalation SULPHUR - fatty - inflanotable SULPHUR - fatty - inflanotable proportions/purity > hetals 2) Stoic interpretation. K Softens\ u Shapes-* sulphur interpénétration kr

as

is lie xi s -** tonos "[spéci "(ph. j SULPHUR rfcçt mixture) ficity), . -tic cohesion) «étals -> META

LS Ivaneties or' cinnabar} * * - varying "yin-yang" proportion Chinese "yin-yang" theory è SULPHUR - " yang •' (dragon) ¡ SULPHUR - " yang •' (dragon) 1 CINNABAR Î - "yin-yang" - starting material MERCURY - " yin " (tiger! 1 - "yin-yang" - starting material MERCURY - " yin " (tiger! \ "animation" (reiterated , sublimât ions) with nwgic herbs) K-pure cirmabai * pure '*YANG" h Cold elixir - "Chin-tan" - "gofa*

1

' (sulpho-aercuric complex) (dualism strai to chínese e. alchemy] fxir Fig. 14. Sulphur-mercury theories of metals