The microstructural and petrofabric analyses in China were originated in the 1930s. Prof. He introduced the petrofabric analysis from German literature to China; Prof. Wang measured and completed petrofabric diagrams of domestic rocks during the 1930s. Wang studied the tectonic interpretations of deformed rocks under the microscope in 1940. They combined the petrofabrics with tectonic dynamics, introduced application of microscopes to structural analysis for the first time in China. However, in the 30 years after that, the microstructural and petrofabric analyses were limited to a few academic institutions and a few scholars. Since the late 1970s, microstructural and petrofabric analyses have developed rapidly in China along with the development of geological work and international academic exchanges. Some related courses have been offered in many geological colleges and universities. Microstructural geology has been widely applied to mining, engineering, environmental and disaster geological work in China.