The paper introduces the research significance of Traditional Chinese Medicine ( TCM) literature information retrieval based on cognition analysis, by analyzing cognition of literature information demands of TCM students in different majors of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, it studies from three perspectives:literature information retrieval demand, retrieval thinking and development direction of TCM literature information retrieval system.It also points out that study on thinking and practice of literature information retriev-al based on cognition analysis is the effective approach to enhance information literacy and improve the comprehensive quality.