Abstract: In the modernization course of Chinese materia medica (CMM), two misunderstanding mis-takes which are out of line with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory and excessively emphasize the research of CMM compound prescription and two difficult points which are the establishment of CMM quality control system and the establishment of CMM evaluation system were pointed out. Because the main means of TCM syndrome differentiation treatment and TCM combination therapy is CMM processing pieces and the starting point of the research of CMM efficacy substantial basis should be CMM processing pieces, the priority of the modernization of CMM should be the research on modern CMM processing pieces and the conditions have been mature now. The research on modern CMM pieces were supposed to take three steps: the research on "standardized extract", the research on "effective fraction" and the research on the CMM nature of "effective fraction".