Syndrome research is a challenging field in the research on traditional Chinese medicine and there is no breakthrough at all in this field as yet, although some progresses from various aspects have been achieved in recent years. The definition of syndrome based on the conceptions of traditional Chinese medicine is basically clear, but the qualitative macro-criteria for syndrome are not standardized and the research methods for quantification of such criteria are not unified. These hindered the processing of the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine to a great extent; therefore new research methods for syndrome using techniques of modern sciences should be further investigated. During the research of syndrome, it is suggested that: (1) the research should be turned to complex syndrome from the fundamental simple syndrome gradually, on the basis of certain diseases in western medicine; (2) animal experiment would be of no significance before quite a successful research performed in human body; (3) the results of the research of syndrome should be in agreement with the life science as well as the entire natural science.

Key words: traditional Chinese medicine, syndrome types, methodological study