High performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) has taken some effects in the analysis of traditional chinese medicine. But conventional single - column mode can't satisfy the increasing needs of providing multi or even whole components' imformation in the modem research of traditional chinese medicine. Intellectual multi - column high performance liquid chromatographic system(IMC - HPLG) is a new conception based on both column switching HPLC and intellectual technology. Due to the miscellaneousness of the analytical samples, sectional separation property of column switching technique is employed to cut the sample segmentally into different kinds of columns, and then, elute with suitable mobile phases. The whole procedure is controlled intellectually. In the earlier period, favorable solid/ mobile phase and chromatographic conditions are selected and multi - column flow diagram is designed. In the middle of the procedure, precision of the column - switching is controlled automatically. In the later stage, a great deal of imformation detected is analysed to eliminate the false and retain the true, to obtain the trustworthy qualitative and quantitative results. The system is expected to complete multi - component quick analysis of such complex samples as traditional chinese medicine, biological fluid and environmental specimen