The specific objective of the study is to analyse the adoption of improved varieties and the changes in characteristics of varieties across China. It also estimates the contribution of varietal improvement to rice production in China. The results indicated that the story of rice improvement over the past 50 years stood as an enormous success. Nearly 30% of the net gain in rice production came from varietal improvement. Compared with the beginning of 1980s, the numbers of released varieties have been improved by 1. 5 times, the share of total rice area planted to varieties with resistances has increased 10%, and the planting area of high-quality varieties has increased 50%. However, the declining contribution of varietal improvement since 1997 pointed out that government should encourage breeders to explore elite germplasm, improve breeding level, and break through yield stagnates so that varietal improvement can contribute greater to rice production.