The applications of a standardized Chinese medicine (CM) terminology are ultimately the translation and publication of literature, education, as well as scholarly and legal communication. Over the past 20-30 years the amount of published CM literature, including clinical and experimental research, has increased exponentially. In addition, the numbers of professionally trained Western CM scholars and clinicians have been continuously rising, and they are now forming a considerable academic force that should be taken seriously. Because of the continuous advancements of CM abroad, there is a strong demand for the application of a "common official language" to facilitate this progress and the future developments in the field. A standard to be applied within China is also a necessary work needed for the uniform transmission of the indigenous medical system abroad.
Keywords: Chinese medicine; terminology standardization.