Obed Simon Johnson (May 5, 1881[1] – October 12, 1970) was an American academic, chaplain, congregational missionary and student of Chinese culture and history, known for A Study of Chinese Alchemy, which attributes the origin of alchemy to ancient China, rather than Greco-Egyptians 500 years later.[2] He was the first Westerner to recognize the ancient Chinese alchemists.
Johnson was an early and pioneering sinologist. Johnson's contributions were translation, collation and synthesis of Chinese alchemy from many of the Chinese classics and books. He then made western scholars aware that one of the central tenets in chemistry, the elixir concept emerged far earlier in China than in Europe (i.e., w/ Roger Bacon). This is a key contribution to history in general and the history of science and chemistry in particular. He contributed important epistemological perspectives to the historical literature including Confucian and Taoist classics, books such as Chuang Tzu and Huai Nan Tzu, and dynastic histories in his seminal book “The Study of Chinese Alchemy”[2] published in Shanghai in 1928. This book, which is referenced in The Hero With a Thousand Faces[3] by Joseph Campbell, influenced Joseph Needham,[4] Arthur Waley,[5] Lynn Townsend White, Jr.[6] and many other works on Chinese alchemy.[7][8][9][10]
^[Obed Simon Johnson, “John Peter Johnson” in Lost Grove Township, 1869-1969, compiled by the Committee of the Harcourt Commercial Club. Gowrie, Iowa: The Gowrie News, 1970, page 85]
^ ab[Obed Simon Johnson, A Study of Chinese Alchemy, Shanghai, Commercial P, 1928. rpt. New York: Arno P, 1974.]
^[Joseph Campbell, "The Hero with a Thousand Faces", 1949 (Pantheon Books), ISBN 978-1-57731-593-3]
^[Joseph Needham, Science and Civilisation in China, vol. 5 pt. 2, pp. 6]
^Arthur Waley (1930), "Notes on Chinese Alchemy ("Supplementary to Johnson's" A Study of Chinese Alchemy)", Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies 6.1: 1-24.]
^White, Lynn; Spence, Jonathan D. (1984). Needham, Joseph; Ling, Wang; Robinson, Kenneth; Gwei-Djen, Lu; Ping-Yu, Ho; Sivin, Nathan (eds.). "Science in China". Isis. 75 (1): 171–189. ISSN 0021-1753.
ObedSimonJohnson (May 5, 1881 – October 12, 1970) was an American academic, chaplain, congregational missionary and student of Chinese culture and history...
the general populace. Chinese alchemy was introduced to the West by ObedSimonJohnson. By refining bases into gold and ingesting the "fake" or synthetic...
(1857–1942) Richard Wilhelm (sinologist) (1873–1930) Carl Jung (1875–1961) ObedSimonJohnson (1881-1970) Herbert Silberer (1882–1923) Manly P. Hall (1901–1990)...
[citation needed] etc.) Chinese alchemy was introduced to the West by ObedSimonJohnson. The introduction of alchemy to Latin Europe may be dated to 11 February...
Huang (Huang Renyu) (1918–2000) William Hung (Hong Ye) Charles Hucker ObedSimonJohnson (1881–1970) David Keightley George A. Kennedy David R. Knechtges Owen...
21 November 2021. Ferguson 1928, p. 20. Schafer 1963, pp. 273–275. ObedSimonJohnson, A Study of Chinese Alchemy, page Shanghai, Commercial, 1928. rpt...
The Master Embracing Simplicity). Beijing: Xinhua chubanshe, 1991 ObedSimonJohnson, A Study of Chinese Alchemy, Shanghai, Commercial, 1928. rpt. New...
Taoist Alchemical Texts. Griffith University. ISBN 9780868570754. Johnson, ObedSimon (1928). A Study of Chinese Alchemy. Martino Pub. Major, John S.;...
Ivar Höök 1903 1944 1931– Xinjiang Ester Johansson 1929– Xinjiang ObedSimonJohnson 1881 1970 1909 Canton Ingrid Kangstrom 1929– Xinjiang Petrus Kangstrom...
Ten Percent Society, LGBT rights group based in North Dakota LGBT ObedSimonJohnson, an early and pioneering sinologist is the granduncle of Jon Lindgren...
Taylor & Francis, [2006] (2006). ISBN 0-415-33859-X, 9780415338592. Johnson, ObedSimon. A Study of Chinese Alchemy. Shanghai, Commercial Press, 1928. rpt...
Joseph Arthur Annan, Daniel Francis Annan, Kofi Arkaah, Kow Nkensen Asamoah, Obed Atta-Mills, John Awoonor-Williams, R.A. Ayannah, Alhaji Amoako, Richard Nana...
Orpah, the sister-in-law of Ruth, David's own great-grandmother (Ruth → Obed → Jesse → David). Ruth Rabbah, a haggadic and homiletic interpretation of...
former premier of KwaZulu-Natal and former treasure of ANC Obed Mlaba, former Mayor of Durban Johnson Mlambo, revolutionary Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, first female...
Uganda won the toss and elected to bat. Lee Nyarko (Gha) made his T20I debut. Obed Harvey (Gha) took his first five-wicket haul in T20Is. Ghana won the toss...
Patent Office noted that a similar machine had already been patented by Obed Hussey a few months earlier. McCormick claimed he had invented his machine...
the island "New Nantucket". In August 1825 Baker was sighted by Captain Obed Starbuck of the Loper, also a Nantucket whaler. The island is named for Michael...
Theekshana Qais Ahmed Rassie van der Dussen Laurie Evans Alick Athanaze Obed McCoy Kevin Wickham Roelof van der Merwe Akeem Jordan Rahkeem Cornwall Donovan...
RoseAnne Archibald, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Natan Obed, President of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Cassidy Caron, President of the...
Zweli Mkhize Elected members * Members of the National Working Committee Obed Bapela Nozabelo Ruth Bhengu Lynne Brown Zoleka Rosemary Capa-Langa Bheki...
Bethel, Ohio Ohio United States Formerly known as Denham Town, founded by Obed Denham. 1799 Hudson Ohio United States 1799 Potosi Missouri United States...
ages and years of the 2 generations, only the genealogy of Boaz, father of Obed (1st generation), the father of Jesse (2nd generation), the father of David...
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