Senior sister's understanding of alchemy is completely based on listening to what the master said when practicing with the master, but as our faction, it is not mainly based on alchemy, so the understanding is not very profound, but some knowledge given by the master makes the senior sister truly realize the mystery of Taoist alchemy. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

The so-called Wai Dan technique refers to the Taoist smelting of pills through various secret methods, which are used to eat, or directly consume certain sesame herbs, in order to ignite their own yin and turn them into yang energy. In addition, the Taoist Wai Dan can also refer to "the pure spirit qi of the void". Wai Dan can also refer to alchemy or Taoist spells such as talismans, thunder methods, etc.

The "Danding faction" is the general name of the various sects in Taoism that mainly seek longevity and immortality. It was first developed from the ancient immortal family and Fang Xiandao.

The reason why it is Dan refers to a dosage form of traditional Chinese medicine, and many prescriptions in ancient and modern times are called "Dan" to show efficacy. These prescriptions, mainly formulated from animal and plant medicines, have nothing to do with Dan in the original sense, but only borrow the name "Dan", which can be seen from the profound influence of ancient alchemy on later generations.

Alchemy, also known as Wai Dan Huang Bai Shu, or Jin Dan Shu, referred to as "Wai Dan", is different from the "Nei Dan" guidance technique of the Longevity Zhenren Qiu Chu Ji Quanzhen Longmen School. Alchemy began in the middle of the Warring States period, after the Qin and Han dynasties, it began to prevail, after the two Song Dynasty, Taoism advocated the cultivation of inner Dan (that is, qigong), and the "Danding faction" was popular for a while and excluded the outer Danshu; Until the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Waidan fire refining method gradually declined and gave way to "Materia Medica".

Alchemy is a method used by the ancients to refine elixir in pursuit of "longevity". Dan refers to Dansha or mercury sulfide, which is an inorganic compound of sulfur and mercury (mercury), because it is red, Tao Hongjing is called "Dansha is cinnabar." Unlike plants and trees, dansha not only burns but does not ember, but "the longer it is burned, the more wonderful the changes become." "The mercury produced by mercury sand is a metallic substance, but it is in a liquid state, with a metallic luster and different from that of hardware (gold, silver, copper, iron, tin). ”。

Due to the pharmacological effect and physicochemical properties of dansha, ancient alchemists used it as the main material for alchemy. Its shape is round and flowing, easy to volatilize, the ancients felt very magical, and then choose other gold and stone drugs to liquid mercury (mercury), according to a certain formula mixed with each other for smelting, and repeatedly carry out the experiment of reduction and oxidation reaction, in order to refine the "nine turn to return to the pill" or "nine return to the golden pill". This is the earliest chemical reaction product of humans. In ancient times, it was believed to be an elixir of immortality with miraculous properties. Written in the Qin and Han dynasties, the most ancient book of "Materia Medica" work "Shennong's Materia Medica", the hardware, three yellow, ping stone and other more than 40 drugs are listed as upper, middle and lower three products, pointing out that the standard of its classification is: "medicine makes people safe, life prolongs, ascend to heaven, immortal ,......" of which dansha is listed as the first in alchemy, is the earliest important drug material selected in ancient alchemy.

Alchemists decompose mercury (mercury) after heating dansha, and then find that mercury (mercury) is combined with sulfide to form black mercury sulfide, and then heated to sublimate it, it returns to the original state of red mercury sulfide. Dansha smelts mercury and mercury and sulfide to return dansa, which is actually a chemical reduction and oxidation reaction. Jin Ge Hong's "Hug Puzi? Jin Dan said: "Where the grass and trees are burned, they are embers, and the dansha is refined into mercury, and the accumulation changes into dansha, and the plants and trees are far away, so they can make people live forever." Therefore, the reason why Chinese alchemy is so popular in Taoism is also due to the germination of chemistry during this period.

(To be continued)