Keng Hsien-Seng

Master Geng (, ) was a Chinese alchemist, and the daughter of Geng Qian.

Legend says that during her adolescence, she already demonstrated her intelligence, curiosity, and developed skills in the alchemical arts. Eventually, her skills drew the attention of emperor Xuanzong, who invited her to the palace. This, some modern chemists have proposed, might be an example of a legitimate chemical process in which mercury is used to extract silver from ores. She may have also distilled perfumes, and utilized an early form of the Soxhlet process to extract camphor into alcohol. In her personal life, Geng was noted as enjoying wine, and romantic and sexual dalliances.

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