The evolution of medicine in China has been a lengthy journey, from the gradual incorporation of Western medicine to the establishment of a modern healthcare system. Research on medical language has progressed during these stages, yet its focus and characteristics have continued to change. Initially, the primary emphasis of research on medical language was on theoretical translation, but it has recently broadened to include the essence and theory of medical language, with a stronger emphasis on the clinical practise and its diverse applications. However, current research on medical language encounters various challenges, such as those related to interdisciplinary studies, researcher training and obstacles related to establishing the discipline and curriculum models. In the era of data-driven advancements, future research on medical language should prioritise establishing a standardised system of Chinese language medical terminology, developing the discipline of medical linguistics, advancing intelligent technologies to support medical language and defining policies and plannings related to medical language according to the national development strategies and language policies.