[Discussion on the date of Dunhuang medical scrolls]

The latest closing time of the Dunhuang cave for preserving Buddhist sutra should be considered firstly in the textual research on the date of Dunhuang medical scrolls. Based on the word "Shanyao" recorded in the scroll P. 3810, it is very likely that this scroll was copied after the reign of Emperor Yingzong of the Song Dynasty, and the sealing time of Dunhuang cave for preserving Buddhist sutra was, most probably, later than 1064. The specific writing or/and copying date of each scroll could be identified by its preface, external characteristics, contents, special characters, symbols and typeface, and language feature of the scrolls.