Abstract: Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) supply necessary living material and development conditions for human being. In this paper, the features and concepts of NTFPs are summarized based on the related studies on NTFPs. Meanwhile, a four-leveled NTFPs classification system is suggested according to China’s current situations. At the first level, NTFPs are divided into three types, i.e. produced from animal, plant and microbe; At the second level, NTFPs are subdivided into sixteen types, i.e. food, medical material, industrial material, etc.; At the third levels, NTFPs are comprised with 54 types including beasts, birds, eatable material, vegetables, forage, etc.; At the fourth level, NTFPs are consisted of 142 items. The NTFPs classification system could provided useful references for the further studies on re-classification, exploitation and utilization, resources monitoring and monitor index system of China’s NTFPs.