Sun Simiao’s Gifts

An online course for Chinese Medicine Practitioners

Lovingly curated by Leo Lok and Sabine Wilms

  • Do you want to know more about our Chinese medical ancestor Sun Simiao and his specific contributions?

  • Are you looking for an accessible, clinically oriented introduction to the roots of Chinese medicine that is academically sound, beautifully framed, and carefully curated with sensitivity to contemporary relevance?

  • Are you curious about the background story of the most commonly used oath in Chinese medicine training?

  • Do you need spiritual inspiration on your healer’s journey?

  • Do you crave direct access to the original source on ghost points, on the origins of Chinese gynecology and pediatrics from “menstrual attunement” to “transformations and steamings,” on yangsheng and personal transformation, and other clinical pearls, but are too busy to learn classical Chinese yourself?

  • Are you looking for a truly informative and engaging option for CEUs?

  • OR…do you just enjoy watching Sabine and Leo bouncing ideas off each other and want to nerd out with us?

Course Description

  • Screenshot of a video call on Riverside platform showing two participants.

    In this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, two international experts on early Chinese medicine combine their unique skills, experiences, and professional training in translation, clinical and personal practice, and academic research in history, philosophy, and religion. Allow us to introduce you to the writings of the great medical ancestor Sun Simiao 孫思邈 (581-682 CE).

  • Ancient wooden sculpture with figures in traditional Asian attire, featuring a central seated figure and smaller figures on top.

    We start out by exploring Sun Simiao's life on the basis of historical accounts, his own writings, and legends. We discuss his famous work, the "Formulas Worth a Thousand in Gold to Prepare for Emergencies" and consider the influence of the cultural and religious context, most notably Buddhism and the cultural openness of early medieval China. We hope to show you why he is so important today.

  • Traditional Chinese medicine illustration of a pregnant female with acupuncture meridians and fetus

    What did Sun Simiao mean with his famous saying that "women are ten times more difficult to treat than men"? We introduce you to the key pathologies, etiologies and treatments in Sun Simiao's "formulas for women." And give you a glimpse of the art of "venerating the root" in the care of newborns and children, with such unique concepts as "transformations and steamings" and "panic seizures" that will revolutionize your approach to reproductive care.

  • Ancient Chinese coin with acupuncture needles on a scroll

    We dedicate an entire lesson to the "Thirteen Ghost Points": By presenting the specific instructions (symptoms, sequence, needling details, fire needles vs. moxa, etc.), we demonstrate the seriousness of this treatment protocol and give you the tools to decide if this technique is appropriate for you to pursue.

  • Traditional painting of a pink lotus blossom with green leaves.

    We shall use Sun Simiao's famous medical oath to dive into his vision for the ideal healer, from the cultivation of stillness, wisdom, and compassion to professional etiquette and lifelong learning. Let his unique synthesis of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism inspire all of us in our attempt to alleviate suffering in the world.

  • Traditional Chinese painting featuring two figures in colorful robes riding a mythical bird, with a white deer carrying a basket of flowers below, all surrounded by clouds.

    In the concluding lesson, we explore Sun Simiao's teachings on Yangsheng and longevity. We follow his lead to look at the preciousness of every breath, the power of the emotions to sicken or heal, and the role of our daily acts of goodness. Whether in the context of "playing with Qi," dietetics, sleep hygiene, or sexual cultivation, it all comes down to calibration, applied with compassion and curiosity.

What You Will Receive

  • Six structured pre-recorded video lessons in a lively exchange between Leo and Sabine, each lasting about 20 to 30 minutes.

  • Elegantly curated slideshows with traditional Chinese art, concrete clinical information, a treasure trove of original quotes in translation, and even Leo’s beautiful singing!

  • A user-friendly password-protected platform with commenting function and all the course material at your fingertips anytime anywhere that works for YOU!

  • Unlimited access to all the material for two months from the date of registration.

  • Timely answers to any reasonable follow-up questions on the material we present.

  • Dates and Times: Registration is ongoing, and you choose when and how you engage with the material

  • For an additional $20: 3 NCCAOM-accredited CEUs (currently pending), after successful completion of a quiz. For international students, we can issue a certificate upon request.

Your Guides

This course is the outcome of an unparalleled collaboration that bridges cultures, continents, millennia, and professional specializations. Allow us, the internationally famous podcasting and research team of Leo Lok and Sabine Wilms PhD, to combine our complementary backgrounds and skills to bring to life one of the most important figures in the history of Chinese medicine!

Dr. Wilms standing next to a saddled brown horse grazing in Mongolia.

  • Writer, translator, professor, publisher, and goat herder.

    To find out more about Dr. Wilms’ background, VISIT THIS PAGE.

A picture of Leo Lok.

  • Leo is a practitioner and independent scholar of Chinese Medicine. A native speaker/reader of Chinese languages, Leo is one of the rare clinician-scholars in the world who excels in researching and translating ancient Chinese medical literature into the English language.

    Since 2015, he has been a top contributor in the 6432-member Facebook group - Scholars of Chinese Medicine. Leo has helped research and answer more than 2000 questions on the historical development, interpretations and translations of Chinese medical topics for colleagues worldwide.

    He has also been consulted for numerous translation projects for his expertise, e.g. Dr. Sabine Wilms's ‘The Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica’ (2017)《神農本草經》and "Hundred Questions on Gynecology" (2019)《女科百問》.

    He is also a contributing translator for the Chinese Medicine section of an upcoming anthology of historical Asian literature on meditation related illnesses (a project by Dr. Pierce Salguero at Pennsylvania State University).

Traditional Chinese painting depicting Sun Simiao with a servant, tiger, and dragon.

““To nurture our nature: If we strive to complete it with daily practices, it becomes perfect on its own accord….Then no internal or external illnesses could ever arise, and turmoil and disasters also have nowhere to start from. This is the guideline for nurturing our Nature.”

— Sun Simiao, Beiji qianjin yaofang, vol. 27

Outline

  • Introduction: Who was/is Sun Simiao and why was/is he important?

  • “Ten times more difficult to treat”: Treatments for women

  • “Venerating the root”: Treatments for newborns and children

  • The thirteen ghost points: What they are and what to do and not to do with them

  • The oath that maybe wasn’t: Sun Simiao’s teachings on medical ethics and the influence of Buddhism

  • Nurturing ourselves and others: Yangsheng, cultivation, and transformation

Have we tickled your curiosity?

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Have we tickled your curiosity? *