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Chinese elements in European alchemical symbols - Paul Ferguson - 02-21-2026
Symbols designed by European alchemists incorporating elements of Chinese origin
S Mahdihassan
"Alchemy arose in China as cult of longevity generating life-force by imitating creation. Heaven and Earth, as opposites, were conceived as responsible for creation. They were believed to be round and square-shaped when their emblems became Compass and Carpenter's square. These have been retained in the symbols designed by alchemists of the Medieval Age without, however, revealing their origin or significance."
https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S0192415X87000023