The development of refractories industry in China in the past 62 years since 1949 is reviewed. In 1949-1979, China’s refractories industry developed to become a comprehensive industrial sector with sizable production capacity and elevated technical level. In 1979-2010, refractories production increased at fast tempo partly due to the rapid uprise of private enterprises and partly due to structural reform and improved management of state owned companies. Important progress was made in innovative research and development on high quality synthetic refractory raw materials based on bauxite and magnesite and high performance new products such as oxide-nonoxide composites. The next 30-40 years should be a period of steady development for China’s refractories industry. More efforts should be given to efficient utilization of natural resources, environmental protection and energy conservation, product quality consistency and reliability and innovative development in science and technology. There should be structural readjustment and technical reconstruction of the hundreds of refractories mining and manufacturing companies. There should be more innovative achievements in developing high quality synthetic raw materials and high performance new products with Chinese characteristics.