Actinobacterial systematics is the theoretical basis for the research and development of actinobacterial resources, and has become an independent subject, which includes actinobacterial classification, identification and nomenclature. Academician Shun-Chu Yan and his colleagues initiated actinobacterial systematics research in China since the 1950’s. With the efforts by several generations for over 60 years, Chinese scientists have published many new taxa in the past 10 years in International Journal of Systematics and Evolutionary of Microbiology, one of the top level journals in this field. Some new taxonomic technology and also the newly updated classification system done by some Chinese scientists have been adopted and cited; all these reflect that Chinese research teams on actinobacterial systematics have become an indispensable reference in the world of microbial systematics. This review will comprehensively introduce the origins and early history of Chinese actinobacterial systematics, analyse its present status, and also give its future directions.