Sunflower originated in America was introduced into China in the middle of Ming dynasty and spread rapidly all over the country. First as ornamental and later dried nut, Sunflower then became an important oil plant. The introduction of sunflower, as well as its development, has accelerated the adjustment of China’s agricultural structure, which is one of the most significant activities during the history of agricultural exchanges between China and the outside world. This present paper has given a detailed analysis of the time and the path of sunflower’s introduction, as well as its condition of spread and evolution in China from the period of Ming and Qing dynasties to the time of Republic of China or even now. In addition,focuses on the motivation of its spread in China and its influence on China’s economy, society and culture.
