Abstract: Based on the review of natural reserve grading at home and abroad and oh the present status of construction and management of the natural reserves in China,the principles for natural reserve grading were put forward .such as applying qualitative evaluation as the central themes and consisting with the current administrative grade system. On the basis of these principles, the standard for grading natural reserves of China was studied and developed. In the standard.the reserves were graded into four levels, i. e. national, provincial, municipal and county levels, and their standards were described and defined in detail. Moreover the grading basis for reserve levels and the evaluation criteria for identifying importance of reserves were also illustrated and discussed in the paper. The standard is significant for the construction and standardized management of natural reserves in China.