A Probe into "Zhu Bing" in the Dunhuang Manuscripts

As a cultural treasure unearthed from the Sutra Cave in Mogao Grottoes, the Dunhuang manuscripts greatly enrich the body of ancient Chinese medical texts, particularly those from the Sui and Tang dynasties. These texts hold immense scholarly value, especially the records related to "Zhu Bing", which offer critical historical insights into the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases during the Northern and Southern dynasties to the Sui and Tang dynasties. As a microcosm of ancient infectious diseases, "Zhu Bing" has a close evolutionary relationship with later concepts such as pulmonary tuberculosis and parasitic infections. The article compiles and analyzes the contents of "Zhu Bing" in the Dunhuang manuscripts, aiming to fill the gap in the evolution and development of "Zhu Bing" treatment from the Southern and Northern dynasties to the Sui and Tang dynasties, and to enrich the broader history of epidemic diseases in ancient China.