王焘生卒考

Study of dates of birth and death of WANG Tao

唐代医家王焘的生卒年，文献失载，学者观点不同。王焘开元九年（721）任华原县尉、天宝十四年（756）十二月参与河问举义是可以确定的。756年之后，再未见有关王焘的记载。根据唐代的官吏制度“70致仕”，可以断定756年时，王焘不超过70岁，再考虑721年王焘任华原县尉的年龄，基本可以推断王焘生于武则天垂拱三年（687）至武周长寿二年（693），卒年应是756年之后，具体不可考。

The dates of birth and death of WANG Tao, a famous doctor in Tang dynasty, are not found in literature and scholars have different points upon this subject. It could be sure that WANG Tao was appointed mayor of Huayuan county in the ninth year of Kaiyuan period （721） and in December of the fourteenth year of Tianbao period （756） he the revolt in Hejian. The recording after 756 could not be found in literature. According to the official system in Tang dynasty that officers retired at their age of 70, it could be sure that WANG Tao was less than 70 year old in 756. Considering his age when he was the county mayor in 721, it could be speculated that WANG Tao was born during the third year of Chuigong period （687） to the second year of Changshou period （693）, and his death date should be some date after 756. But it couldn＇ t be validated.