古代中国和印度的金粉制造技术和应用

Preparotion Technology & Application of Gold Powder in Ancient China and India

古代中国和印度采用机械法和化学法制造金粉，其金粉技术和应用都有久远的历史，但也有若干差异。印度梵文文献中记载了一种被蚂蚁采集的自然金粉。用金叶生产金粉是一个重要的技术进步，它产生于公元２世纪的中国和公元４世纪的印度。用汞齐技术化学法制造金粉又是金粉技术一个新的里程碑，在中国它与机械法几乎同时诞生（公元２世纪），而在印度则迟至公元９世纪。在古印度，金粉主要用于医药和涂料领域；在古代中国，金粉主要用于医药、油漆和丝绸工业。

Mechanical comminution and chemical methods were all used in China and India antiquity for making gold powder.However,it can be seen that there also were some differences on these techniques in two countries. The ants were employed to collect natural gold powder in ancient India,which was considered to be a novelty. An important turning point in the history of gold powder preparation in China occurred in the 2nd century A.D.when it was produced from thin gold leaves, wheras it began to be used at the 4th century A.D.in India Another important landmark in China occurred also in the 2nd century A.D.when it was produced by the amalgamation technique, but,it began at the 9th century in India.The two important areas of application were medicine and paint in ancient India.But,there were three important areas of application in China and they were medicine paint and silk.The technology and the application of gold powder in ancient China were leading in the ancient world.