Damn the FMA creators.

Now I'm interested in Alchemy.​

 

Just don't develop a fetish for red stones.

 

Does the Philosopher's Stone count? Supposedly there really is such thing as the Philosopher's Stone. >:D ​

 

So long as you interest yourself in what Alchemy ACTUALLY was, and not the metaphysical crap that FMA spewed(yes it was a great series, I know but the 'alchemy' they used angered me) then its fine. I'd be happy to link you to a few sites that have some interesting reads in the field of alchemy. Just PM me and I'll find them again ^^

 

Western alchemist actualy did seek a philosopher's stone, but real alchemy is nothing like that im FMA. Real alchemy was mainly for purifying metals and turning them into gold and they also believed in a mystical element called camrot.

 

I noticed that.

​

 

*cough*

Alchemy is not some kind of fictitious magic, but a scientific field of learning studied across a significant area of the world, ranging from Asia to Europe. We'll focus on the alchemy of Europe and the specific history of that region.

What is it?

Alchemy is much more than changing metal to gold. Indeed, it is possible, at least in the world of Fullmetal Alchemist. But that's only one use of this ancient science. In fact, the alchemists of Europe had a much more elaborate goal.

The Birth of Alchemy

The word "alchemy" is thought by some to have originated from Arabic, though another theory states that the word came from Chinese, which was then incorporated into Arabic and then finally spread throughout Europe. The earliest known literature regarding alchemy goes back to the days of ancient Greece and Egypt. At that time, much research was being done on coloring metal and textiles. There is some confusion about the exact origin of the modern definition, but since decorating textiles was a house-hold chore, not an industry, it was mainly performed by housewives. This idea of household magic seems to have given birth to the modern term.

All Is One

Soon, alchemy developed beyond practical household wisdom and practice and evolved into a scientific pursuit with the lofty goal of discovering the truths of the world. The oldest and most well-known literature from this period is the Emerald Tablet discovered in the fourth century and attributed to the god Hermes Trismegistus. The Emerald Tablet contains the most important concept in alchemy: the rule of "all is one."

Fundamental Material

Alchemists believe that before the world became a divided into the all, it was composed of a single substance, the fundamental material called Prima Materia. The Greek philosopher Aristotle stated that out of this Prima Materia came the four basic elements of fire, air, earth, and water. At the fundamental level, everything in this world, is composed of these four elements.

God & Alchemy

To put it bluntly, in the world of alchemy, Prima Materia was essentially God. In Christianity, the world is thought to be created by God. If this is true then everything in the physical world that we live in used to belong to the ethereal world of God.

The Meaning of Alchemy

This is where the concept of an alchemist making gold takes on a different meaning. Turning metals of little value into pure gold means taking the impure Prima Materia that has been dispersed throughout the world and returning it once again to a state of pure Prima Materia.

Or rather, purifying a substance and returning it to its correct state is alchemy. Of course, this process is not only done to metal but also to the soul of the person conducting the alchemy. So alchemists refine their own souls through alchemy.

It's all rather grandiose, but if you think about it in terms of the Japanese concept of do, which means path, it's very easy to understand. For example, kado is the art of arranging flowers, but that isn't all it's about. Judo and kendo are fighting techniques on the surface, but their true goal is not about defeating the opponent. The same dual nature exists in Alchemy.

The End of Alchemy

Alchemy died out after the age of reason. the sad truth is that charting the steps to refining a soul does not have a practical place in the real world. It's easy to see how people dealing with only the reality in front of their eyes would turn their backs on something like that. But the refinement of the soul, which was the goal of alchemy, was taken up by literature and art. In some cases, the data from the alchemical experiments and their byproducts became the foundation for modern science and medicine.

- Fullmetal Alchemist Profiles, Pages 138-139, Hiromu Arakawa.

 

I got every word of that except,​

What exactly do they mean by "The same dual nature exists in Alchemy"?
Side Note:Btw, that was very useful. =3​

 

They meant, that while Alchemy was designed to purify metals and such, it also was meant to refine the user's soul.

Judo and Kendo are fighting techniques designed to defeat the opponent, but they're also designed to boost self-confidence, self-control, and make you a better person.

Alchemy is Dual Natured in that it does one thing (purify metals) while doing something else as well (refining the soul.).

EDIT: There's a part about the Philosopher's stone. Do you want me to type that up as well? o:​

 

Thank you for clearing that up for me. ^_^ I expected to get other responses. Like my dad saw all the symbols I drew in my sketch pad and called he called me weird. xD​

 

No problem. I bought the Profile book thing, merely to say "I have even more FMA stuff now.", but I found the stuff inside it to be really interesting.

 

I haven't bought any FMA books but I plan to before I'm 100. If it has interesting information I'm getting it, like, tomorrow! >:D​

 

Yeah, it has lots of background information on the Manga, and lots of pictures. It also has bonus cartoons 'n such in it. <:

There's one for the Anime too. I got that one as well. Lotsa pictures and character infos. :D