Ge Hong

Ge Hong, courtesy name Zhichuan, also known as Baopuzi, was a Chinese linguist, philosopher, physician, politician, and writer during the Eastern Jin dynasty. Born in Jurong Province in 283 AD, he came from a notable family, with his great-uncle Ge Xuan being an alchemist. Despite his family's decline and his father's death when Ge Hong was 13, he pursued knowledge diligently, borrowing and copying books. He studied Chinese alchemy under Zheng Yin and later learned alchemy from Bao Liang, marrying Bao Liang's daughter, Bao Gu. Ge Hong held various official positions but was often dissatisfied with public service, finding greater interest in Taoist cultivation and elixirs for spiritual freedom. His public service included contributions to calming peasant uprisings and serving as an army official. He also spent time in seclusion, gathering herbal medicine and refining elixirs. Ge Hong's main contributions lie in Chinese alchemy, medicine, and religious scholarship, integrating Confucianism and Taoism. He advocated for innovation and experimentation, questioning traditionalism. In medicine, he compiled extensive works like "Yuhanfang" and "Emergency Formulae at an Elbow's Length," which included early suggestions for treating rabies and malaria. The latter inspired the discovery of artemisinin. Ge Hong also had knowledge of chemistry, documenting reactions of mercury and discovering the transformation of chalcanthite. He died in 343 or 364 AD.