Introduction to the original intention of alchemy

First, we know that gold is actually synthesized by the fusion of light elements during supernova explosion. Of course, the price is too high.

Second, of course, there is another method. We can use elements heavier than gold to split them by high-speed neutron impact, and directly obtain gold isotopes and even gold. The typical cheap heavy metal is lead. A small amount of gold can already be obtained in the laboratory by this method, but it is really expensive to separate such gold from radioactive elements, so no one will do it now. After all, the cost is much higher than gold.

Now we know the specific method of gold smelting, but we can also see that no matter what method, it is impossible to get artificial gold cheaply. Therefore, no one will do this narrow sense of doing gold. Meaning:

What is alchemy? If the cost of turning ordinary matter into gold is too high, so no one does it, that is, there is no money to make artificial gold, then can we turn one thing into another and make money from it as a generalized alchemy? To put it simply, alchemy in a broad sense is a collection of behaviors that change one substance into another to obtain huge profits.

For example:

For example, we can turn graphite into synthetic diamonds through high temperature and high pressure, because they are all the same elemental carbon. Isn't this an alchemist?

It may be said that turning into a diamond is more intuitive, but if I say that carbon 60, that is, bucky balls are made of graphite, is it more profitable? Isn't this an alchemy?

For another example, for example, the processor we use can buy thousands of dollars for a cpu, but do you know what the core material of the cpu is? Yellow sand, by purifying the silicon in the yellow sand, high-purity silicon, and then lithography processor, the price of yellow sand has suddenly turned hundreds of millions of times. Isn't this the act of turning the stone into gold?

In fact, at the beginning of The Alchemist of Steel, there is such a passage, which I think is the best interpretation of alchemy. There are many alchemists in their world, but alchemy is illegal. For them, alchemy is to understand, decompose and reconstruct matter, and then make things useful to others again. This is alchemy. Yes, many times what we need is gold. For people in the desert, water is everything. There are only the following kinds of pseudoscience in ancient times: claiming that other elements can be turned into gold; Known as a medicine bag to cure all diseases; It is claimed that people's life can be extended by some kind of ceremony, or life can be created directly.

The first person to study alchemy.

Simply put, medieval alchemy was an attempt to evolve human spirit and strength to a higher level with some medicine or ritual. Speaking of it, the first people who studied alchemy were Taoist priests in China and Egyptian priests. China has introduced a lot of alchemy, which is always used. It is said that it can prolong life or turn stone into gold. But the so-called lead-mercury-Dan-Huang Zhi technology failed to reveal the law of life itself, so there was gunpowder. In Egypt, the secret of alchemy is also in the hands of a few monks. After the Hellenistic era came, there were related records in the ancient books of Alexandria Library. But the Ptolemaic people are only descendants of European rulers, and the mystery of hieroglyphics has long been lost. Napoleon's expedition and breakthrough in Rosetta obelisk were three hundred years later. Finally, the world's largest library became a pile of ruins with the earthquake, and the mysticism of the ancient kingdom was always overshadowed.

With the prosperity of pan-Greek civilization, humanistic spirit has flourished, which is an all-round era. Aristotle was an alchemist. He believes that matter can be synthesized by laws. According to his theory, the world consists of four basic elements: water, earth, fire and air. All material social forms are composed of these four elements in different proportions. Therefore, as long as external influence and catalysis are exerted, soil can also be turned into gold.

Astrology in Mesopotamia

Astrology, which originated in Mesopotamia, also cited this element. They believe that all celestial bodies in the universe-the sun, the moon and the stars-have an influence on human activities on the ground. Therefore, later generations of alchemists believed that the alchemy ceremony could be successful only if all kinds of celestial bodies were in a specific position. In the eighth and ninth centuries, Greek alchemy was introduced into Arabia, and nomadic people simplified Aristotle's theory that all metals are composed of sulfur and mercury. At the same time, China's alchemy was introduced into Arabian Peninsula in the form of gunpowder, and the elixir of longevity became the legend of youthful spring in Arabian Nights. Persian doctors systematically compiled these theories into a book, which was frequently quoted by medieval alchemists.

Selected works of Hermtika

Great changes are taking place in Europe at the moment, and the fall of Rome marks the end of an era. Darkness and ignorance once again enveloped the whole continent, and the humanism of Greek system declined from then on. Until the12nd century, Arab immigrants flooded into Iberian Peninsula (Spain) and Sicily. Through contact with them, Europeans became interested in eastern alchemy or mysticism philosophy again. Greek manuscripts are translated into Latin through Syrian or Arabic. From 65438 to 0455, a book was circulated in Florence and Venice, and its name was Corpus Hermeticum. Its name has caused great controversy. Some people think it is Thoth, the ancient Egyptian moon god, while others think it is Helms in Greek mythology. Anyway, the book mentions a lot of alchemy, astrology, magic symbols and utensils, as well as various rituals in ancient Egypt, which is simply the ancient AD & amp； D. Other Arab scholars' papers not only have philosophical theoretical basis, but also have a large number of application examples. There are two people mentioned the most: Arnold? Huilanova (1240-1313), inventor of distillation; Roger? Bacon (12 14- 1294) recorded the composition of black powder and the manufacturing technology of monocular telescope in detail.

The alchemist's cabin

Let's look at the alchemist's cabin. A typical laboratory should be dark and damp, full of unknown drugs and suspicious smoke. Many alchemists work at home to save money and avoid being disturbed by outsiders. Some people choose the kitchen and can use a ready-made fire. Others stay in the attic so that the evening activities will not be discovered by curious neighbors. These temporary temporary places are often filled with all kinds of instruments, manuscripts, skulls and exotic animal specimens. There is usually a small altar for spiritual prayer. All these decorations are symbols of mysticism, not technology. The work of refining Dan medicine is the most primitive chemical experiment, and alchemists are the first pioneers to try to separate various elements. The extraction of white phosphorus and the synthesis of hydrochloric acid are products of the Middle Ages. At the same time, the instruments they used, the equipment for distilling liquids, various methods for analyzing metals and controlling chemical reactions are still in use today.

Heating is a necessary condition for every blast experiment, whether it is heating liquid or dissolving lead. In order to keep a certain temperature, the alchemist invented the water bath. Friends who study science must have done this experiment in high school. The stove with timer embodies exquisite technology. The British Museum has an incubator made of 16 16. People in that era could already make bimetals.

alchemist

It is also true that there is always such a laboratory in the depths of the legendary castle. From kings along the Mediterranean coast to rural aristocrats in the Baltic Sea, alchemists are regarded as a shortcut to get rich. Greed is often accompanied by corruption, so scholars have different opinions. There is no shortage of clever swindlers and boasters in Europe, and their actions can be well written into a grandiose chronicle. However, just as not every laboratory can produce Frankenstein, the efforts of alchemists are mostly in vain. If you can't keep your promise and turn it into gold, the price you pay is to lose your head. The grumpy Red Beard II specially built a gallows to hang the unfortunate who missed. Medieval alchemists were discredited because practitioners used more or less disgraceful means to save their lives. From15th century to17th century, there are more and more books on alchemy, and mysterious symbols and formulas can be seen everywhere.

Some clever alchemists began to divert the attention of the powerful, claiming that they could extract the elixir of strengthening the body, so alchemy embarked on the road of medical research. One of the most famous, Phillips? Oritz? Palasal (1493- 154 1), who disagreed with the popular statement at that time, that is, patients originated from the disorder and disorder of their own functions. It is believed that the disease exists on some external carrier, looking for opportunities to invade the human body. Drugs can help fight these diseases, which is the earliest idea about germs. In addition, he also mentioned the "silver gray" substance obtained in the experiment-zinc for the first time, and used "alcohol" to refer to the liquid distilled from wine for the first time.

The golden age of alchemy

The Renaissance brought the golden age of alchemy. Please don't touch this aspect in order to revive the glory of Rome. It is illegal, and it completely washes away the silence of more than ten centuries. Art and science have produced many dazzling achievements. Great changes have taken place in religion, and Protestantism was reorganized in the first half of16th century. At the moment, alchemy consists of three parts: one part is science, the other part is art, and the other part is religion. It also dances with the rhythm of revival. Scientific researchers have officially separated from alchemists and become independent professions. The by-products produced by previous alchemists in the pursuit of precious metals, that is, their experiments, laid the foundation of modern chemistry. The other part is devoted to astrology. People at the bottom, such as Gypsies, can be called numerology. In the mid-20th century, the prevalence of psychopathology also used the idealism and idealism of alchemists.

astrologer

Let's talk about astrologers first, just as the purpose of art is to pursue the ultimate beauty. For astrologers with true wisdom and foresight, how to reach a higher level in spiritual cultivation far exceeds the temptation of wealth and fame; It is more important than its material realization to transcend the limitations of the heavy and dull body like lead and make the mind as bright and mature as gold. Unlike the Greek and Roman times, they are not as sharp as cynics, nor as boastful as Stoics. Facing the skylight in the attic, they vaguely grasp the integrity of the universe, verify the constant changes of the starry sky and guard the eternal moral standards in their hearts.

Astrologers regard their profession as the sacred art of perfecting dualism: while purifying and sublimating their souls, they explain the practical activities in the world with the movement and change of the universe. Because of the open academic atmosphere during the Renaissance, they also began to challenge the ancient authority, put aside human beings to explore the mysteries of nature, and completed the transformation from big to small. (Socrates asks in the square: Who am I? Where is the land I come from? It is called a big problem in philosophy. )

This lofty goal undoubtedly made him a martyr, and he never saw the door of the free kingdom open in his life. When some people

While searching for a crucible full of gold all day, the real scholar was buried in the beggar's humble grave in disappointment.

The founder of modern chemistry

Let's talk about the founders of modern chemistry, who inherited the functions of the earliest alchemists. Nicholas first? Freeman,/kloc-an alchemist in Paris in the 0/4th century, and his disciples knew nothing about the composition of matter. At that time, everyone thought that all material existence was composed of four basic elements, just like Aristotle's theory. Different proportions of elements have different cold, warm, dry and wet conditions, so they have different forms.

According to this theory, the transformation of metals is possible. Freeman wrote in the book that all metals come from the interior of the earth, and the melting pot of nature mixes various elements. The process is determined by some higher existence, or it can be attributed to the will of God. God's realm is always perfect, so as long as the mixed elements stay deep in the earth for a long time, perhaps the earliest iron or lead will gradually become gold and silver. But it is always mined too early, so the metals on the earth show different forms. The mission of the alchemist is to continue the unfinished work of the creator and accelerate the "evolution" of metals. Today's people read here and admire their growing imagination.

All alchemists are secretive about their achievements. In the lecture on alchemy in the13rd century, everyone should stand up first: "swear by my soul that if I reveal what I saw today to others, I will be cursed forever." One is called Basel? Father Valentine wrote: "I can only hope that if I spread a little mystery of heaven, my soul will fall into the deepest hell."

There are two reasons: first, superiority, or greed, alchemists keep the equation tightly; Secondly, the church thinks that alchemy is an interference and blasphemy to the creator, and alchemists are engaged in the art of the devil. More noble people think that their own equations can be successful, and once they fall into the hands of people with ulterior motives, it will be a disaster to society, so they should be buried. This is a very contradictory idea. In that case, why should we study with sincere enthusiasm? But considering the achievements of nuclear physics today, modern people are not qualified to make fun of it.

The professional skills of alchemy are divided into three specialized branches: potions, potions and transformations. Potion specialization allows alchemists to make extra finished products when making consumptive potions such as healing/mana. Potion specialization allows alchemists to make extra finished products when making powerful agile gain potions such as various mixtures. Transformation specialization allows alchemists to get extra finished products when transforming. The extra amount varies from 1 to 4, which means it is possible for a conversion expert to convert five kinds of original energy with one material!