中国古代炼丹术的实验程序及知识体系之脉络探析

Research on the Experimental Procedure and Knowledge System of Alchemy in Ancient China

历史上,中国古代炼丹家主张“著在实验”,从而建构起一套“择友-择地-筑炉-火候-开炉”的完整、规范的实验活动程序,并对每个实验环节也都做了具体的规定。在炼丹实验活动中,中国古代炼丹家不仅运用、传承着大量的自然知识和工艺技术,而且激发出了一种对于新知识的获取,以及工艺技术的发明和创造的文化冲动。由此可证,炼丹术之所以能够作为推动中国古代科技发展的主导文化载体,很大程度上根源于其内涵的实验思想方法及其实证认知精神。毫无疑义——中国古代有科学。

Historically,ancient Chinese alchemists advocated"focusing on experiments",thus constructing a complete and standardized experimental procedure of"choosing friends,choosing places,building furnaces,heating conditions and starting Furnaces",and making specific provisions for each experimental link.In the experimental activities of alchemy,ancient Chinese alchemists not only used and inherited a lot of natural knowledge and technology,but also stimulated a cultural impulse to acquire new knowledge,as well as the invention and creation of technology.It can be proved that the reason why alchemy can be used as the leading cultural carrier to promote the development of ancient Chinese science and technology is largely rooted in its experimental thinking method and empirical cognitive spirit.Therefore,there was real science in ancient China-this can be confirmed.