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Alchemy and the Alchemists.

248 pages, 1 unnumbered page : frontispiece, illustrations, plates, portraits, facsimiles ; 20 cm.

The lure and romance of alchemy

Geschichte der Alchemie

Die alchemie in älterer und neuerer zeit : Ein beitrag zur culturgeschichte

In the fifth scene down, Apollo, bearing a bow, takes from the man a vessel decorated with a sun-like flower with its petals spread Laurinda Dixon comments that the couple present throughout the Mutus liber are shown in recollection of Nicolas Flamel and his wife Perrenelle (Nicolas Flamel, His exposition of the hieroglyphical figures (1624), ed. Laurinda Dixon, London 1994, p. xxx)

A man and a woman demonstrating the process of fermentation and distillation in alchemy. Etching, ca. 17th century.

A professor of alchemy : (Denis Zachaire)

185 pages, 1 leaf : including frontispiece, illustrations ; 18 cm

The story of alchemy and the beginnings of chemistry

xv, 335 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm (8vo)

The mystery and romance of alchemy and pharmacy

Page 1 Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Page 1 of Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Page 2 Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Page 2 of Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Page 3 Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Page 3 of Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Die Alchemie und die Alchemisten

Über die Bedeutung der Alchemie

Woodcut image of Universal Illumination (puzhao tu) from Xingming guizhi (Pointers on Spiritual Nature and Bodily Life) by Yi Zhenren, a Daoist text on internal alchemy published in 1615 (3rd year of the Wanli reign period of Ming dynasty). (Cataloguing incomplete)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (1)

Woodcut illustration of the practice known as 'The infant takes form and appears' from Xingming guizhi (Pointers on Spiritual Nature and Bodily Life) by Yi Zhenren, a Daoist text on internal alchemy published in 1615 (3rd year of the Wanli reign period of Ming dynasty).

 'The infant takes form and appears' (yin'er xianxing) is a term from Daoist internal alchemy. The Infant (yin'er) is the essence of the kidney. Zhenji, in Pointers on Spiritual Nature and Bodily Life, states: If the cooking time has already been sufficient, and the Sacred Embryo is already rounded, provided the cooking is thoroughly done, the infant will be born. When the ten-month term is accomplished, it will separate from the placenta. Exegetes call this the practice of the body, or the filling of the mysterious portal; it is called the newborn (chizi) or the infant. When the infant moves the embryo and changes the cauldron, it suddenly emerges to dwells secretly in the Qi Cavern.

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (12)

Woodcut illustration of the 'graet and small cauldron and furnace' from Xingming guizhi (Pointers on Spiritual Nature and Bodily Life) by Yi Zhenren, a Daoist text on internal alchemy published in 1615 (3rd year of the Wanli reign period of Ming dynasty).

 The illustration depicts a man seated cross-legged on a stool. Eyes closed and in meditative posture, he is practising internal alchemy. The 'cauldron' and 'furnace' of the title are not to be understood literally; in the figurative language of internal alchemy, these terms apply to the inner workings of the practitioner's body. The 'cauldron' (ding) refers to the head and the 'furnace' (lu) to the abdomen. The 'great cauldron' refers to the creation of elixir by refining jing (essence, semen), Qi and spirit. The 'small cauldron' is a place between the locations of Original Qi (yuan qi) and Vapour (yinyun).

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (3)

Woodcut illustration of 'Respecting the cooking times' from Xingming guizhi (Pointers on Spiritual Nature and Bodily Life) by Yi Zhenren, a Daoist text on internal alchemy published in 1615 (3rd year of the Wanli reign period of Ming dynasty). (Cataloguing incomplete)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (10)

Woodcut illustration of the practice known as 'Collecting fire and transporting' gold from Xingming guizhi (Pointers on Spiritual Nature and Bodily Life) by Yi Zhenren, a Daoist text on internal alchemy published in 1615 (3rd year of the Wanli reign period of Ming dynasty). (Cataloguing incomplete)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (7)

Woodcut image of Reflected Illumination (fanzhao tu) of from Xingming guizhi (Pointers on Spiritual Nature and Bodily Life) by Yi Zhenren, a Daoist text on internal alchemy published in 1615 (3rd year of the Wanli reign period of Ming dynasty). Cataloguing incomplete

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (2)

Arzneikunst und Alchemie im siebzehnten Jahrhundert

Woodcut illustration of the practice known as 'Refining form in the True Void' from Xingming guizhi (Pointers on Spiritual Nature and Bodily Life) by Yi Zhenren, a Daoist text on internal alchemy published in 1615 (3rd year of the Wanli reign period of Ming dynasty).

 'Refining form in the True Void' (zhenkong lianxing) is a term from Daoist internal alchemy, referring to the achievement of a state where spirit and form are as one, through Daoist cultivation exercises. Zhenji, in Pointers on Spiritual Nature and Bodily Life records the following: 'The Scripture of Stillness and Clarity (Qingjing jing) states: If one visualises the heart internally, the heart is without heart; if one views the form externally, the form is without form. When form is without form, the body is empty. When heart is without heart, the heart is empty. When the heart is empty and without impediment, the spirit becomes more refined and more subtle. When the body is empty and without impediment, the form becomes more refined and more limpid. If one truly practises refinement till form and spirit are contained in one another, and body and heart become one, form and spirit will at once achieve Sublimity, and enter into harmony with the Dao and Perfection.'

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (13)

Woodcut illustration of the practice known as 'Putting the miraculous elixir on the tripod' from Xingming guizhi (Pointers on Spiritual Nature and Bodily Life) by Yi Zhenren, a Daoist text on internal alchemy published in 1615 (3rd year of the Wanli reign period of Ming dynasty). (Cataloguing incomplete)

Alchemy and the Alchemists.

The lure and romance of alchemy

The lure and romance of alchemy

Geschichte der Alchemie

Die alchemie in älterer und neuerer zeit : Ein beitrag zur culturgeschichte

A man and a woman demonstrating the process of fermentation and distillation in alchemy. Etching, ca. 17th century.

A professor of alchemy : (Denis Zachaire)

The story of alchemy and the beginnings of chemistry

The mystery and romance of alchemy and pharmacy

Page 1 of Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Page 2 of Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Page 3 of Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Die Alchemie und die Alchemisten

Über die Bedeutung der Alchemie

Die alchemie in älterer und neuerer zeit : Ein beitrag zur culturgeschichte

Die alchemie in älterer und neuerer zeit : Ein beitrag zur culturgeschichte

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (1)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (12)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (3)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (10)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (7)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (2)

Arzneikunst und Alchemie im siebzehnten Jahrhundert

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (13)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (15

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Alchemy and the Alchemists.

The lure and romance of alchemy

The lure and romance of alchemy

Geschichte der Alchemie

Die alchemie in älterer und neuerer zeit : Ein beitrag zur culturgeschichte

A man and a woman demonstrating the process of fermentation and distillation in alchemy. Etching, ca. 17th century.

A professor of alchemy : (Denis Zachaire)

The story of alchemy and the beginnings of chemistry

The mystery and romance of alchemy and pharmacy

Page 1 of Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Page 2 of Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Page 3 of Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Die Alchemie und die Alchemisten

Über die Bedeutung der Alchemie

Die alchemie in älterer und neuerer zeit : Ein beitrag zur culturgeschichte

Die alchemie in älterer und neuerer zeit : Ein beitrag zur culturgeschichte

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (1)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (12)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (3)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (10)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (7)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (2)

Arzneikunst und Alchemie im siebzehnten Jahrhundert

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (13)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (15

Sign up to our newsletter

Wellcome collectionWellcome Collection

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Opening times:

Today's opening times

Wellcome collection