Grassland ecosystems represent the largest terrestrial ecosystem in China in terms of area. Conducting grassland resource surveys serves as the fundamental basis for understanding the basic conditions of grasslands and formulating policies for their protection and utilization. According to the main data bulletin of the third national land survey, the total grassland area in China is 264 million hectares, accounting for 27.5% of the country′s land area. This paper systematically reviewed the survey process and evolution of the classification system of grassland resources in China, with a focus on key issues such as the definition of grassland scope and classification methods. Based on hydrothermal conditions and vegetation characteristics, the existing grassland classification system was optimized, proposing 6 categories and 18 grassland types.