ABSTRACT Drawing on interviews and textual data generated with six China’s national-level teacher leaders, this study explores the structure and development of instructional leadership in the Chinese context. Two findings emerged from the data analysis. First, the teacher leaders viewed their instructional leadership as a three-level construct, including staying committed to and excellence in teaching, establishing professional learning communities for collaborative improvement in teaching, and engaging with regional and national reform and improvement in teaching. Second, the teacher leaders improved their instructional leadership mainly by conducting research-informed teaching, interacting with crucial stakeholders, and capitalising on professional resources and opportunities. These findings add to the literature a context-specific, levelled conceptualisation of instructional leadership and suggest practical implications for cultivating instructional leadership in the Chinese context and beyond.