The academic value of Dunhuang treasures

Secular literature accounts for about 20%, although the number is small, its academic value is greater than religious classics. In addition to the traditional classics, history, philosophers and books, there are a large number of local documents. According to the content, there are mathematics, geography, history, politics, trade, philosophy, military, nationality and folklore. Music, dance, literature, language, phonology, names, books, letters, expressions, books, calligraphy, medicine, veterinary medicine, handicrafts, sports, water conservancy, translation, folk art, divination books, etc. It widely reflects all aspects of medieval society and is an important material for studying medieval social life. In particular, hundreds of scientific and technological historical documents are treasures in Dunhuang suicide notes, of which nearly 100 are related to medicine, including 1000 medical prescriptions; More than 40 astronomical calendars; Mathematics is about 20 yuan; Water conservancy, agriculture, chemistry and so on.

A large number of "official and private documents" are also valuable historical materials in secular literature. "Official documents" include document numbers, dispatches, forms, posts, placards, judgments, passes, public examinations, dispatches, confessions, accounts, etc. There are fragments of documents related to the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Punishment and the Ministry of War; Collecting the judgments of Chinese commissioners in Hexi is helpful to study the political and economic situation in Hexi after the Anshi Rebellion. The history of Shazhou in the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties was re-clarified by Sha Zhou's Entering the DPRK to Play the Original Ambassador and the related documents of Gui Yijun. Military system, municipal system, land reclamation, long riding and other related documents have enabled various systems to be tested; Hukou, including hukou, hukou book, hukou book, etc. It is conducive to the study of the accounts of the thirteen years of the Western Wei Dynasty and proves many problems of the land equalization system in the Western Wei Dynasty. During the Tianbao period of the Tang Dynasty, the Dunhuang County Records of Dunhuang County provided valuable information for the study of miscellaneous colors and shaking battles in the early Tang Dynasty. "Private documents" include contract volumes, reposts by social departments, account calendars, pamphlets, property division documents, suicide notes, etc. Among them, lease contract, title deed, loan contract, sales contract, employment contract, etc. They are all first-hand materials to study the status of workers, the relationship between ancestors and tenants and the management of usury in the Tang and Five Dynasties and the early Song Dynasty.

Temple documents are a branch of official and private documents, with more than 500 pieces. For example, the confession of monks, making dishes, abstaining from dishes, the registration of nuns, the change of experience, the pursuit of happiness and sadness, the entry of various colors into the calendar, the names of utensils, and various contracts are all good materials for studying the political and economic structure of Dunhuang cults.

There are tens of thousands of manuscripts in Dunhuang, including Tubo, Uighur, Sogdian (Kangju), Gankan, Qiuci, Turkic, Syrian and Sanskrit. It is a precious material for studying the history of these nationalities, which has high ethnological value and international significance.