秋石名称考

Studies on Different Names of Qiushi(Autumn Mineral)

秋石是一味备受研究者关注的丹药,但是秋石名称使用的混乱造成了很多误解。通过文献考证与解读,对历史上秋石的各种名称的研究结果表明,早期的秋石并非都是今天的研究者所讨论的以人尿为原料制备的秋石,而是以矿物为原料制备的外丹药或者以人体精、气、神炼制的内丹药。汉代的淮南王或未炼秋石。今天的研究者所讨论的秋石是从五代或宋初开始用人尿为主要原料制备的丹药,而人尿炼制的药物并非都叫秋石。食盐炼制的秋石在宋代中期是伪品,民国之后成为正品并逐渐占居主流。明清之际已出现咸秋石与淡秋石,均为人尿炼制,只是炼法有别。民国之后淡秋石用人中白炼制,咸秋石用食盐炼制。研究者今天讨论的秋石在历史上也另有名称。

Qiushi is a kind of elixir or medicine.By consulting more sources in alchemy and medicine,this paper examines different names of Qiushi,and finds that:(1) Before the Wu Dai,Qiushi was prepared from natural minerals for external alchemists,or the fluids or spirits of the living body for physiological alchemists.Liu An did not prepare Qiushi.(2) People began to name the product prepared from urine as Qiushi in the Song Dynasty,however,the product had many other different names.(3) The product made from salt did not be considered a counterfeit until the Southern Song dynasty when Qiushi made from urine became popular.(4) Salty Qiushi and light Qiushi appeared as early as the Ming and Qing Dynasty,and both prepared from urine.After the Public of China,salty Qiushi was made from salt while light Qiushi was made from the natural sediment of urine.