Abstract: On the morning of September 8, 2026, at the Guangdong Centenarian Wellness Institute on the Sanyuanli campus of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, three generations of TCM practitioners held a joint apprenticeship ceremony—Professor Xiao Xinhe, Dr. Wu Mingjie, and Master Chen Qingzhen. Dr. Wu Mingjie accepted eight new disciples in his third cohort, who traveled from Massachusetts (USA), Hong Kong (China), Fuzhou (Jiangxi), Xiangyang (Hubei), and Puning, Shenzhen and Foshan (Guangdong). Counting from TCM Master Deng Tietao, this lineage has now reached its fifth generation.

Keywords: Dr. Wu Mingjie 3rd apprenticeship ceremony, TCM disciple initiation, Xiao Xinhe, Chen Qingzhen, Deng Tietao, five generations, Fengyang Daoist medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 70% nourishment 30% treatment, TCM apprenticeship law

📌 Ceremony at a Glance

Item	Details
Date	Morning of September 8, 2026
Venue	Guangdong Centenarian Wellness Institute, Sanyuanli Campus, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (4F, Bldg 17, 12 Jichang Road, Guangzhou)
Joint Ceremony	Prof. Xiao Xinhe (8th cohort), Dr. Wu Mingjie (3rd cohort), Chen Qingzhen (1st cohort)
Host	Executive Director Xu Jianhui
Witnesses	Prof. Li Zequan, Prof. Xiao Xinhe (for Dr. Wu's disciples)
Dr. Wu's New Disciples (8)	Fu Hanchao (Massachusetts, USA), Xie Ziman (Guangdong), Duan Xiaotong (Shenzhen, Guangdong), Qiu Peiyun (Puning, Guangdong), Yao Guiping (Fuzhou, Jiangxi), Hu Rui (Xiangyang, Hubei), Lyu Zhaohong (Hong Kong, China), Li Huiling (Foshan, Guangdong)
Transmitted Content	TCM treasure: benevolent heart & skillful medicine; Clinical experience: 70% nourishment · 30% treatment; Wellness: Centenarian Project; Chinese virtue: donating to support education
Generations	Counting from TCM Master Deng Tietao — now the 5th generation

[Feature Narrative]

In golden autumn, by the Pearl River, the torch of Qihuang burns once more.

On the morning of September 8, 2026, inside the grand conference hall of the Guangdong Centenarian Wellness Institute at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine's Sanyuanli campus, a solemn TCM lineage ceremony unfolded—three generations accepting disciples on one stage: Professor Xiao Xinhe, Dr. Wu Mingjie, and Master Chen Qingzhen.

Ninety-one-year-old Professor Xiao Xinhe is a student of the first "Master of Chinese Medicine," Deng Tietao, from the 1950s. With 67 years in practice, this marked his eighth cohort of disciples. Dr. Wu Mingjie, Professor Xiao's disciple from the 1980s, has practiced for 41 years including his career in the United States—this was his third cohort. Master Chen Qingzhen, Dr. Wu's disciple and an inheritor of Fengyang traditional Daoist medicine, welcomed his first cohort. Counting from Master Deng Tietao to the new branches grafted on today, this lineage has reached its fifth generation.

Executive Director Xu Jianhui, the host, captured the occasion in twelve characters: "One lineage, three generations shining together, five generations gathered."

Joining Dr. Wu Mingjie's school this year are eight sincere students of Chinese medicine. They came across mountains and oceans—from Massachusetts in the United States, Hong Kong China, Fuzhou in Jiangxi, Xiangyang in Hubei, and Puning, Shenzhen and Foshan in Guangdong. One disciple flew back from the other side of the ocean solely to perform a bow before the ancestors and offer a cup of tea to the master.

The ceremony followed ancient rites: straightening the robe and cap, presenting the apprenticeship petition, offering tea with a kowtow, and reciting in unison the Da Yi Jing Cheng ("The Absolute Sincerity of Great Physicians"). Among these, the three steps of "petition — tea — return gift" form the most plain yet solemn procedure in TCM transmission: the petition says "I am willing to learn," the tea says "I acknowledge you as my teacher," and the return gift says "I accept you as my disciple." Only after these three steps is the teacher-disciple relationship established.

In his address, Dr. Wu recalled with emotion: born into a family of TCM practitioners in Chaoshan, Guangdong, he bonded with Chinese medicine and Taiji at age seven. In the early 1980s he apprenticed under Professor Xiao Xinhe, and under his teacher's encouragement and cultivation, embarked on the path of accepting disciples and transmitting the art. "All the TCM techniques I possess are precious treasures my teachers poured out to me without reserve. Today, with a grateful heart, I am determined to return these techniques to my motherland."

Facing his new disciples, Dr. Wu made a solemn vow: the school will never withhold knowledge. At the same time he set an iron rule—for every classical formula taught, a disciple must complete ten clinical cases and submit ten case reports to the master before the next formula is taught. If the first formula's ten cases are not completed, the master will not transmit a second formula.

He illustrated with Fengyang's orally transmitted formulas: for allergic rhinitis treated by disease-differentiation, Gui Zhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction) plus Wumei (Mume fruit) and Wuweizi (Schisandra) dispels wind-cold and astringes to treat the manifestation, while Yu Ping Feng San (Jade Screen Powder) with Shanzhuyu (Cornelian cherry), Heshouwu (Fleeceflower root) and Buguzhi (Psoralea) fortifies the spleen and tonifies the kidney to treat the root—treating manifestation and root together, with thirty days as one course. Another example: a plaster on Yongquan (KI1) for hand-foot-and-mouth disease uses only two herbs. These formulas are simple, inexpensive, convenient, and effective, transmitted orally in the Chaoshan region for centuries and rarely written into books—lest they become mere armchair theory.

"Only by keeping one's feet firmly on clinical practice and accumulating real-world experience can a physician build confidence, cultivate their own righteous qi, and ultimately surpass the teacher—blue emerging from indigo." With these words Dr. Wu encouraged his new disciples.

At the ceremony, the phrase "donating to support education" stood alongside "benevolent heart and skillful medicine." Professor Xiao Xinhe and Dr. Wu Mingjie have personally donated and mobilized cumulative donations of over 2 million RMB, earmarked for financially disadvantaged students at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. Learning the craft and practicing charity were placed on equal footing in a single apprenticeship ceremony.

One lineage, an unbroken flame. From the Law on Traditional Chinese Medicine giving formal recognition to apprenticeship, to the complete restoration of thousand-year-old rites today—this profession ultimately relies on generation after generation solemnly passing down what truly works.

I. Three Generations, Five Lineages: The Transmission Tree

TCM Master Deng Tietao (1916–2019)
        ↓ student in the 1950s
Prof. Xiao Xinhe (91 years old · 67 years in practice · 8th cohort)
        ↓ disciple from the 1980s
Dr. Wu Mingjie (41 years in practice, incl. USA · 3rd cohort)
        ↓ disciple
Master Chen Qingzhen (Fengyang Daoist medicine inheritor · 1st cohort)
        ↓
New disciples of this cohort  ← 5th generation

Generation Representative This Ceremony 1st TCM Master Deng Tietao Source of the academic flame (Five-Organ Correlation theory; unified cold-warm differentiation) 2nd Prof. Xiao Xinhe 8th cohort (7 disciples) 3rd Dr. Wu Mingjie****3rd cohort (8 disciples) 4th Master Chen Qingzhen 1st cohort (2 disciples) 5th New disciples of this cohort Formally entering the Fengyang Daoist & Lingnan TCM lineage

II. The Eight Ancient Rites: From Petition to Return Gift

Step Rite Meaning ① Worship immortal & lineage masters (bow, incense, wine) Honoring heaven and ancestors ② Bow to the witnesses Asking elders to bear witness ③ Present the apprenticeship petition "I am willing to learn" ④ Perform the kowtow The disciple's bow ⑤ Offer tea "I acknowledge you as teacher" ⑥ Present a thanksgiving gift A token of sincerity ⑦ Master's return gift "I accept you as disciple" ⑧ Individual photo with grand-teacher, master & disciple A portrait of one lineage

After all disciples completed the rites, they recited the apprenticeship petition together. Only after > > "petition — tea — return gift"> > is the teacher-disciple bond established.

III. The Iron Rule & Fengyang Formulas

Item Description Iron rule One classical formula taught → 10 clinical cases + 10 case reports submitted → next formula taught Allergic rhinitis formula (example) Disease-differentiation: Taiyang pattern, cold pattern, "treat cold with heat." Gui Zhi Tang + Wumei, Wuweizi (dispel wind-cold, astringe — manifestation) combined with Yu Ping Feng San + Shanzhuyu, Heshouwu, Buguzhi (fortify spleen, tonify kidney — root). Root and manifestation treated together; 30 days per course Yongquan external therapy (example) Plaster on Yongquan (KI1) for hand-foot-and-mouth disease — only two herbs Fengyang formula traits Simple, inexpensive, convenient, effective; orally transmitted in Chaoshan for centuries; rarely committed to writing to avoid armchair theory

IV. TCM Apprenticeship: A Legally Recognized Path

Legal Point Details Legal basis Article 15, Paragraph 2 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Traditional Chinese MedicineSupporting ruleInterim Measures for the Administration of the Qualification Examination and Registration of Physicians with Proven Expertise in TCM (effective Dec 20, 2017) Study period****5 consecutive years of study under a master Recommendation Recommended by at least 2 licensed TCM physicians (excluding the supervising teacher) Assessment Expert panel evaluation: on-site Q&A, retrospective practice-material review, technical operation (odd number of experts, minimum 5) Hong Kong/Macao/Taiwan Residents of HK, Macao and Taiwan may study via apprenticeship on the mainland and apply for the examination (relevant to this cohort's Hong Kong disciple)

University education lays the foundation (standardized, quantifiable); apprenticeship shapes the sinews (tactile pulse feel, tacit knowledge, and moral example). The two complement each other to produce a clinician who truly practices.

The Torch of Qihuang: Dr. Wu Mingjie's Third Apprenticeship Ceremony Held in Guangzhou