外丹术 meaning in English

chinese alchemy

Through textual research and analysis on two historical materials in dao zang ' s shangqing mingjian yaojing and dongxuan lingbao daoshi mingjingfa used for polishing bronze mirrors , this article holds that : china had already mastered the technique of plating a bronze mirror with an alloy of stannum , lead and hydrargyrum during the northern and southern dynasties at latest , and this technique was quite probably developed by necromancers or taoists in the process of producing artificial gold and silver , golden elixir and great elixir ; before the song dynasty , the technique of using the alloy of stannum , lead and hydrargyrum to polish a bronze mirror was only prevalent among a part of taoist alchemists ; and after the song dynasty , due to the decline of taoist laboratory alchemy , the technique of using such an alloy was spread among the people
摘要通过对收录于《道藏》之中的《上清明鉴要经》和《洞玄灵宝道士明镜法》两部经书所记载的两则磨镜药史料的考证分析，提出至晚在南北朝时期中国已经发明了用锡汞齐镀镜的技术，其技术很可能由方士或道士在炼制黄金白银、金丹大药的过程中或社会小范围内发展起来的；在宋代之前，用锡汞齐磨镜的技术仅仅在部分炼丹道士中应用流传，宋之后由于道教外丹术的衰落，用锡汞齐磨镜的技术流传于民间。