Alchemy's history: Alchemy part three

We don't have a lot of information about the history of Alchemy all around the world, but we do have sources on alchemy in Europe and China. Along with these two, Egyptians and Jews, were known for different things. The Egyptians possessed the “power of gold” and the Jewish held the “sacred craft”.

  
Alchemy in China
Alchemy in China started around the second century B.C. Chinese alchemy revolved mainly around immortality. The Chinese alchemists had an ingredient called cinnabar which was a blood red rock used in their potions. To make the cinnabar, alchemists would combine silver and mercury. After creating an elixir of life, alchemists would give it to the emperor, but most likely instead of infinite life, the potion gave the emperor death. If this happened, the alchemist would die from failing. 

Alchemy in Europe
Alchemy in Europe started with the Arabians who shared it with them. Awhile later, monks decided to try it. The Romans believed that perfect diamonds gave you strength and that flawed diamonds where poison. Due to this belief, European alchemists put diamonds in their concoctions. Europeans sought wealth and glory for themselves, in so using the strategy of taking a less valuable metals and “mimicking nature” (heat etc.) to hopefully create the gold they desired.

Image: Cinnabar (left) and Mercury (right) Imagen: Cinnabrio (izquierda) y Mecurio (derecha) Credit/Crédito: Image Quest

No tenemos mucho información sobre la historia de alquimia en todo el mundo, pero tenemos información sobre alquimia en Europa y China. En adición de estos dos, los egipcios y los judíos, estaban reconocido por diferentes cosas. Los egipcios tenían el “poder del oro” y los judíos tenían el “arte sagrado”.

Alquimia en China
Alquimia en China empezó alrededor el segundo siglo a.c. Alquimia china giró principalmente en inmortalidad. Alquimistas chinos tenían un ingrediente llamado cinnabrio, que era una roca del color de sangre que los alquimistas usaron en sus pociones. Para hacer cinnabrio, alquimistas mezclaban mercurio y plata. Después de hacer el elixir de la vida, alquimistas daban la poción al emperador, pero muchas veces, en vez de vida infinitiva, la poción dio el emperador la muerte. Si este paso, el alquimista se muere por defecto.

Alquimia en Europa
Alquimia en Europa empezó cuando los árabes compartió con ellos. Un rato más tarde, los monjes decidieron tratar lo. Los romanos tenía creencias que una diamante perfecta da fuerza y los diamantes que tenían defectos eran peligrosos. Debido a ese creencia, los alquimistas ponían diamantes en sus brebajes. Los europeos querían riqueza y gloria para su mismo. Ellos usaron el methods de tener un metal de menos valor y “imitando la naturaleza” para hacer el oro que quieren.
Flora

 Glossary/Glossario
cinnabar/cinnabrio - a combination of silver and mercury/un combinación de plata y mercurio

 Sources/Fuentes de Información
Britannica School - High
World Book - Student
Jewish Virtual Library
Fact Monster
Periodic Table: Alchemy
Wonderopolis
Discovery Education
PBS
Ebsco Ebooks - Alchemy: Ancient and Modern
Image Quest

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