The present invention discloses a method, an apparatus, and a system for initializing a cognitive system supported by a cognitive pilot channel, where implementation of the method includes: sending a frequency initialization request message to a CPC AP; receiving a frequency initialization response message sent by the CPC AP, where the frequency initialization response message includes CPC private resource description information; broadcasting cognitive information of a base station and description information of an uplink access channel to a terminal over a channel specified in the CPC private resource description information; receiving cognitive information of the terminal over CPC private resources, deciding a work frequency according to the cognitive information of the terminal, and sending the decided work frequency to the terminal; establishing, on the decided work frequency, a link with the terminal.