Anniversary of Heavenly Physicians 2013 (癸巳蛇年天醫日慶典)

In Taoist Context, 14th Day of Lunar 8 Month is known as the Anniversary of 13 Heavenly Physicians descending to the Mortal Realm for distributing of Healing/Curing Blessing (農曆八月十四日為天醫日﹐...或稱天灸日/天醫節。根據古道教文獻記載﹐此日為諸位天醫下降賜醫/治病之日).

For Year 2013, it falls on 18 Sept, a Wednesday.

Due to there are quite a number of overlapping information, some places also celebrate this Anniversary on the 1st Day and 15th Day of Lunar 8 Month (因年代不同﹐地方習俗有別﹐文獻中也有記載農曆八月初一或八月十五日被認為是天醫日).

For Taoist Medical Theory, every Month, the 13 Major Heavenly Physicians will take turn to descend down to Mortal Realm at the North-west Direction to provide Healing/Curing. The Days are as followed (而在道教養生醫學錄中﹐每月逢其地支日﹐個別天醫/醫聖也會下降人間賜醫/治病﹐久病不癒者﹐可向西北方祝禱求醫。其地支日如下):

Lunar 1 Month – Cow Day (農曆端月逢丑日)
Lunar 2 Month – Tiger Day (農曆花月逢寅日)
Lunar 3 Month – Hare Day (農曆桐月逢卯日)
Lunar 4 Month – Dragon Day (農曆梅月逢辰日)
Lunar 5 Month – Snake Day (農曆蒲月逢巳日)
Lunar 6 Month – Horse Day (農曆荔月逢午日)
Lunar 7 Month – Goat Day (農曆巧月逢未日)
Lunar 8 Month – Monkey Day (農曆桂月逢申日)
Lunar 9 Month – Rooster Day (農曆菊月逢酉日)
Lunar 10 Month – Dog Day (農曆陽月逢戌日)
Lunar 11 Month – Pig Day (農曆葭月逢亥日)
Lunar 12 Month – Rat Day (農曆臘月逢子日)
Any Leap Month will be on Snake Day (每有閏月為巳日)

Or 或

Lunar 1 & 7 Month – Hare Day (農曆端及巧月逢卯日)
Lunar 2 & 8 Month – Snake Day (農曆花及桂月逢巳日)
Lunar 3 & 9 Month – Goat Day (農曆桐及菊月逢未日)
Lunar 4 & 10 Month – Rooster Day (農曆梅及陽月逢酉日)
Lunar 5 & 11 Month – Pig Day (農曆蒲及葭月逢亥日)
Lunar 6 & 12 Month – Cow Day (農曆荔及臘月逢丑日)
Any Leap Month will be on Snake Day (每有閏月為巳日

In Zheng Yi Taoist Medical Cultivation Texts (補正乙部。道家養生法科類。續命延壽法。記載), on the Anniversary of Heavenly Physicians/Main Day, a Taoist can prepare the following 7 types of herbs to soak in Pure Rice Wine for 49 Days. Upon completion, the Rice Wine can be used for consuming or for the applying on Suffering-body-parts (於天醫日﹐修道者可備(如下)七等草藥﹐入酒泡制七七期﹐完週﹐可服可用﹐消痛散淤):

丹參 (Red Sage)
當歸 (Angelica Sinensis)
赤芍 (Paeonia Lactiflora)
川芎 (Ligusticum Wallichii)
紅花 (Carthamus Tinctorius L)
乳香 (Boswellia Thurifera)
莪術 (Curcuma Zedoaria)