Abstract: Acute lung injury(ALI) has become a major problem in the medical field due to its complex pathogenesis and high mortality. According to previous studies, traditional Chinese medicine can anti ALI, but the complicated mechanism still needs to be further clarified. Therefore, the pathogenesis of ALI, the treatment experience of traditional Chinese medicine and the comparison of Chinese and western medicine in treating ALI were reviewed, providing theoretical basis and clinical idea for the treatment of ALI. At the same time, it is expected to promote new studies on the extraction of traditional Chinese medicine composition, develop more effective scheme and promote the development of traditional Chinese medicine.