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Colour ink drawing of two monks
practising alchemy; one standing by a furnace/oven and the other sitting down looking hot and flushed. Collection of alchemica tracts mainly in German, last two in Latin.

Two Monks practising alchemy

Alchemy and the Alchemists.

Lives of alchemystical philosophers based on materials collected in 1815 : and supplemented by recent researches with a philosophical demonstration of the true principles of the magnum opus, or great work of alchemical re-construction, and some account of the spiritual chemistry

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

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)

A professor of alchemy : (Denis Zachaire)

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)

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)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (15

Woodcut illustration of the practice known as 'Intercourse of sky (qian) and earth (kun) [trigrams]' 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 (8)

Woodcut illustration of '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)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (9)

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

The lure and romance of alchemy

Woodcut illustration of the practice called Xixin tuicang (wash the heart and retire to a hidden place)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).

 Xixin tuicang (wash the heart and retire to a hidden place), or Xixin dilü (wash the heart and cleanse the thoughts), belongs to the terminology of internal alchemy. Beginning alchemists, inexperienced in the regulation and timing of spiritual fire, are subject to illnesses of distress and agitation, fire and inflammation. This can be rectified by practising Xixin tuicang. Xingming guizhi, 'Retirement and Cleansing Practices' states: 'Novice practitioners abase their heart and bind it up too tightly, which inevitably leads to illnesses of distress and agitation, fire and inflammation. The heart-fire of the south is temporarily concealed in the back-water of the north; water and fire nurture each other, and naturally no thoughts and worries arise'.

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (4)

Woodcut illustration of the practice called 'Collecting medicine to bring back to the jar' 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 (6)

Woodcut illustration of the practice called 'Nourishing and growing the sacred embryo' 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 Sacred Embryo (shentai) is a term from Daoist internal alchemy. It refers to spirit and Qi condensing and combining to form Elixir (dan). (Cataloguing incomplete)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (11)

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

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Two Monks practising alchemy

Alchemy and the Alchemists.

Lives of alchemystical philosophers based on materials collected in 1815 : and supplemented by recent researches with a philosophical demonstration of the true principles of the magnum opus, or great work of alchemical re-construction, and some account of the spiritual chemistry

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

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)

A professor of alchemy : (Denis Zachaire)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (3)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (10)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (7)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (2)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (13)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (15

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (8)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (9)

The lure and romance of alchemy

The lure and romance of alchemy

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (4)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (6)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (11)

Page 1 of Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Page 2 of Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Lives of alchemystical philosophers ... To which is added a bibliography of alchemy and hermetic philosophy

Be the first to know

Wellcome collection

Finding us:

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Today's opening times

Filter by

Two Monks practising alchemy

Alchemy and the Alchemists.

Lives of alchemystical philosophers based on materials collected in 1815 : and supplemented by recent researches with a philosophical demonstration of the true principles of the magnum opus, or great work of alchemical re-construction, and some account of the spiritual chemistry

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

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)

A professor of alchemy : (Denis Zachaire)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (3)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (10)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (7)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (2)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (13)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (15

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (8)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (9)

The lure and romance of alchemy

The lure and romance of alchemy

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (4)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (6)

Chinese woodcut: Daoist internal alchemy (11)

Page 1 of Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Page 2 of Arabic manuscript on Alchemy by Razes

Lives of alchemystical philosophers ... To which is added a bibliography of alchemy and hermetic philosophy

Be the first to know

Wellcome collectionWellcome Collection

Finding us:

Opening times:

Today's opening times

Wellcome collection