Objective To investigate traditional Chinese medical emotional intervention on the cognition function of senile patients after abdominal surgery. Methods Seventy senile patients having elective abdominal operation were randomized into intervention group and control group, 35 cases in each group. The control group received routine peri-operative nursing, and the intervention group was given routine peri-operative nursing and emotional intervention based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. The cognition function was evaluated with mini-mental state examination (MMSE) on preoperative day 1, postoperative day 3 and 7, and serum S100βprotein level was detected before operation and on postoperative day 7. Results (1)Time for recovery from general anesthesia in the intervention group was much shortened as compared with that of the control group(P<0.05). (2)On postoperative day 3, the incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction(POCD) was much lower than that of the control group(P<0 . 0 5), and on postoperative day 7 , the difference of POCD incidence was insignificant between the two groups(P>0.05). (3) On postoperative day 7, serum S-100β protein level in the two groups was increased as compared with that before treatment(P<0.05), but the difference between the two groups was insignificant(P>0.05). Conclusion Traditional Chinese medical emotional intervention has an effect on shortening time for recovery from general anesthesia and decreasing POCD incidence, but has no effect on POCD incidence and serum S100βprotein level on postoperative day 7.