Alchemists In Tales Of Marvels In Wei,Jin,North And South Dynasty

Fiction was deeply influenced by Alchemy culture at first. Alchemists were the early novel creators. During Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties, supernatural tales began to flourish. Alchemist was an important factor in the flourishing. Firstly, alchemists were the main novel authors in this period. Secondly, alchemists were active in society life and interactive with the social. They became materials of supernatural tales, impacted imagination and ideas of supernatural tales.There were five types of alchemists in supernatural tales:necromancer, private sorcerer, Taoist sorcerer, Buddhist sorcerer, personage alchemist. Necromancers were engaged in spirit possession, whose miraculous behaviors, such as communication between the deity and Gods, exorcizing evil spirits, forecast, magic, was based on that. Some of private sorcerers were famous of forecast, and the others mastered metamorphosis, magic figure, avoided soaking during crossing river, wonderful leechcraft, etc. Taoist sorcerers deemed that salvation was their mission. They sought longevity and immortality and boasted their magic fancily. Theurgy of Buddhism sorcerers overemphasized incantation. They used incantation to treat diseases, pray for rain, impel ghosts, forecast future, show magic, etc. In addition, they could run as fast as Gods, dismember themselves and revert their shape. As an adventitious religion, Buddhism bore especially outstanding martial character and constantly competed and fused with Taoism and local witch cultureduring this period. Personage alchemist preferred natural science and recluse to practical alchemy.Alchemists of different types had their own characteristics. They were compared at four aspects:how to establish the prestige, life view, Interpretation of foreign matter and warding off evils, magic theurgy.