As early as August 1974, "organ failure resuscitation ward" for critically ill patients with cardiac, respiratory or renal failure had appeared as independent medical units in China. In 1980s, the discipline of critical care medicine had experienced a rapid development, shown its superiority in both daily health care and public health emergency, also its status in the academy of medicine. On September 4th, 1989, the World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine (WFSICCM) accepted the Chinese Association of Integrative Medicine, Society of Critical Care Medicine (TCMWMCSCCM) as an official member. In November 1989, the former State Scientific and Technological Commission approved the establishment of Critical Care Medicine in Tianjin, the first journal in the very field in China, indicating that Chinese critical care medicine has been officially accepted by the international academia and its academic status has been determined. In September 1997, the Chinese Association of Pathophysiology organized the Chinese Society of Critical Care Medicine. In March 2005, the Chinese Medical Association organized the Chinese Society of Critical Care Medicine had found. In July 2009, Chinese Association of Critical Care Physicians had found under the Chinese Medical Doctor Association. In 2008, Critical Care Medicine had been defined as secondary clinical discipline (Subject code 320.58) by Standardization Administration of the People's Republic of China. In 2009, it was listed in the first clinical discipline (Code 28). In 2001, Chinese Society of Critical Care Medicine under the Chinese Association of Pathophysiology had officially joined the WFSICCM and the Asia Pacific Association of Critical Care Medicine (APACCM), and became a member in both councils. Between 2006 and 2010, Chinese Society of Critical Care Medicine under the Chinese Association of Pathophysiology had become the presidency and member in APACCM, WFSICCM and Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA), respectively. So far, there are a number of critical care physicians from China serve as a member in international academic organizations. In ESICM LIVES 2012, held in Lisbon, Portugal, the Chinese Society of Critical Care Medicine under the Chinese Association of Pathophysiology was invited on behalf of China and gave lectures, showing the elegant demeanor of Chinese scholars. Since 2013, the Annual Congress of Chinese Society of Critical Care Medicine has set up the China-USA Joint forum and China-Europe forum. In 2018, the Chinese Society of Critical Care Medicine started a series of "Belt and Road" academic activities, signed the cooperation agreement with 18 academic community of critical care medicine from respective countries or districts along the Belt and Road, and established a long-term relation of communication and cooperation, indicating that Chinese critical care medicine has intensively participated in international communication and integration. Year 2019 is the 40th year of Chinese construction and development in critical care medicine. Today, Chinese critical care medicine is taking off. It has developed rapidly on a brand-new level, advanced on the highway of professional and standardized development, achieved a series of development and won the praise of peers around the world. Since the establishment of Chinese Society of Critical Care Medicine in March 2005, the scale of annual congresses has expanded year by year, participants increased from mere 1 000 to more than 15 000, contributions increased from hundreds to thousands, exhibiting the prosperity of Chinese critical care medicine. Meanwhile, the society has published guideline series, technical specifications and academic yearbooks, implemented Chinese Critical Care Certified Course (5C training), carried out the continue education program and grassroot education activities, set up the "lifetime achievement award", etc., to promote continuous progress and development in Chinese critical care medicine. The Chinese Association of Critical Care Physicians has greatly contributed to the promotion in critical care specialist training, also push forward the progress. In August 2018, department of critical care medicine was selected in the second batch of standardized training bases for specialists, and began recruitment in both medical and surgical critical care medicine in March 2019. The future of Chinese critical care medicine requires us to make clear the developmental blueprint of the discipline, to persevere with integration and innovation, and to meet the needs of society. Efficient and normative systems are also required in the discipline construction, talent cultivation, diagnosis and treatment system, academic construction, and intelligent application of network data. Particularly, we should vigorously carry out and promote the homogenization of critical care specialist training for talent resources reservation. We should actively promote the establishment of clinical research platforms for critical care medicine, encourage and support multicenter clinical researches. We should promote multi-channel communication in the field at home and abroad, expand the international influence of Chinese critical care medicine step by step, to promote the sustainable development of Chinese critical care medicine, to explore further forefront of modern medicine, to promote greater contribution to human health.