Abstract: Although the study of forest rotation has attracted the attention of many scholars both domestically and internationally, there are still divergent opinions on the connotation of optimal forest rotation, the criteria for determining the optimal forest rotation, the criteria for determining the rotation, and the impact of related variables on the optimal forest rotation, which cannot provide a solid theoretical basis for developing a cultivation model for improving forest plantations. This paper summarized the research results on determining the optimal forest rotation, and used experimental data of Chinese fir plantations to demonstrate the different criteria, methods, and influencing factors in determining the optimal forest rotation. It also provides prospects for future research directions.