The Acupuncturist's Oath Explained

Two thousand and four hundred years before the Hippocrates came up with his famous oath, Chinese aspiring acupuncturists already swore an oath before they could be initiated. We find a description of that oath in the 48th chapter of the Ling Tchrou chapter 48 - "The secret gloss" (translated by A. Duron)

As in many cultures at that time, the swearing in of the new acupuncturist consisted in a blood oath. Nowadays, Classic Acupuncturists Masters no longer require blood shedding to initiate their students, but the spirit of the oath remains.

Here it is, with a few explanations:

" The Emperor Hoang Ti - my former Master - has repeatedly forbidden me to pass on the gloss to anyone who does not want to deepen it and wishes to obtain it without having worked, or to the one who makes a profit for himself; his rigorous attitude towards apprentices requires them to swear an oath by squeezing their arms and then putting blood on their lips. "

Here we see that the art of acupuncture was always passed from Master to student. The Master decides to whom he will transmit the gloss. The practice of Acupuncture is considered a great responsibility, which should not be transmitted to the unworthy.

" If you want to get specific revelations about acupuncture and its treatments, why don’t you accept, after having followed a vegetarian diet for three days, so that I can pass on to you what my former Master has already passed on to me. "

Two things are important in this last paragraph:

• The vegetarian diet, which goal is to help the aspiring acupuncturist purify his body. It's not only a vegetarian diet, it's also three day retreat. During this time the future acupuncturist is supposed to meditate on his responsibilities as a practitioner
• The duration of the retreat itself is significant, as 3 is a fundamental figure in Chinese Medicine and Daoïsme/Taoïsme: the Yin, the Yang and the Shen/Chen make a fundamental triad.

" Lai Kong bows several times before the Emperor, stands up and declares:
'For that, I will realise it by obeying your orders.'.
Then, after three days of retreat, he asks the Emperor:
'May I propose to celebrate the oath ceremony today at noon?' "

The oath will take place at noon, because it's the apex of the hour of the Heart (11AM/1PM). The Heart is related to the Shen/Chen, or 'Spirit'.

" The Emperor then enters with him into the retreat room. He cuts down Lai Kong's arm and puts blood from this cut on the sides of his mouth, then he makes a prayer saying:
'Today at noon, I pass the rules. Now Lai Kong must have a firm will for his studies and a generous attitude for the sick. If he violates his oath, not only will there be incidents during treatment, but he will be affected by the greatest misfortunes.' "

The Emperor cuts the arm of Lai Kong, on the arm where runs the Heart Channel. In Chinese medicine, the Heart produces blood. Blood is the vehicle of the Shen/Chen.

He then puts the blood on the sides of the mouth, because it's through the mouth that the Shen/Chen expresses itself.

" The Emperor shakes Lai Kong's hand with his left hand and gives him the text with his right hand saying:
'Learn it carefully and I will explain it to you.' "

The left hand is Yang, that's why the Emperor "shakes it". Yang is movement, action.
The right hand is Yin. Yin is darkness, secrets, hidden knowledge. The text contains the hidden knowledge.

When Emperor adds " Learn it carefully and I will explain it to you. " he means that having access to the text is not enough. Some parts of the knowledge need to be explained to be understood. To understand Chinese medicine, you need a Master that will be able to explain the secrets hidden in the texts. There are several levels of knowledge: what is accessible to simple reading and what is hidden and must be explained. This is by design, so that even if the text were stolen by the unworthy, they would never be able to access the higher level of understanding and cause harm.

Nowadays, we do not ask our students to become vegetarian, even temporarily, although opportunities to purify oneself are given during the duration of the course. We also teach our students that the practice of acupuncture is done from the heart and requires an opening of the heart. Ask former students who have been taught according to the ancient tradition and they will all tell you that their life and whole perspective on the world was changed. It is a beautiful and wondrous journey.