One of the most important classical writings of ancient times is the Pen Tsao Kan Mu (Outline of Medicinal Herbs) which lists some 1,000 plants and animal parts which are reported to have medicinal value, edited by Lee Shih-chen of the Ming dynasty.
其他如：晉朝葛洪的「肘後備急方」、隋朝巢元方的「諸病源候論」、唐孫思邈的「千金方」、「千金翼方」，也都是中醫的重要典籍。而明朝的李時珍的「本草綱目」，更是中國藥學上的鉅著，不僅受中醫重視，在最近亦為世界藥學界所矚目。