The biggest problem is facing Chinese medicine(CM).The more efforts are made to develop it,the more westernized it becomes.The paradox is anainst the intrinsic scientific rationale of CM and has dominated in China for more than 50 years.Such a paradox is by no means an academic or a political puzzle.Two main tasks for the community of CM are:a)To fathom what is CM and how it originates,and to be dedicated in its scientific orientation;b)To engage in introspection for its learning,undertaking and personnel,focusing on clinics,education,research,management,and drug development.