Abstract：Objective：To analyze the medication rules of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in the treatment of osteoarthritis（ OA） in ancient TCM books using data mining techniques. Methods：Ancient TCM books，including the 5th edition of Zhong Hua Yi Dian （Chinese Medical Classics）， were searched and analyzed. Passages related to OA treatment were included. Excel software was used to extract information from relevant formulas. Analysis of the frequency，association，clustering，and complex network of the Chinese medicines was performed. Results：A total of 850 prescriptions involving 620 distinct Chinese medicines were extracted from the ancient TCM books. The three most frequently used Chinese medicines were Angelicae Sinensis Radix， Saposhnikoviae Radix， and Cinnamomi Cortex. The primary therapeutic actions of the Chinese medicines used were deficiency-tonifying， exterior-releasing， blood-invigorating and stasis-dispelling， and interior-warming. The properties and flavors of the herbs were predominantly pungent and warm， with their channel tropism mainly focusing on the spleen， liver， and kidney channels. Through association analysis， cluster analysis， and complex network analysis， Angelicae Sinensis Radix， Saposhnikoviae Radix， and Cinnamomi Cortex were identified as the core medicinal combination for treating OA. Conclusion：The TCM approach to treating OA is often based on the core pathogenesis of "deficiency，" "cold，"and "stasis." The selection of Chinese medicines such as Angelicae Sinensis Radix， Saposhnikoviae Radix， Cinnamomi Cortex， Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata， and Angelicae Pubescentis Radix embodies the therapeutic principle of supporting healthy qi to eliminate pathogens，emphasizing a holistic treatment approach.