OBJECTIVES: To review literatures that reported prevalence/incidence related to Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in China. METHODS: A structured literature review on published articles in both English and Mandarin language was conducted. Search engines used for literature review were PUBMED, Cochrane Library, Wan Fang and VIP databaseThe review included primary studies or meta-analyses of prevalence or incidence studies of MDD published between 2000 and 2013 on Chinese population based in China only (including Hong-Kong and Macau). Four reviewers (two for each language) reviewed and extracted all relevant information from the selected articles. RESULTS: One meta-analysis and 7 studies not included in the meta-analysis were identified. In the meta-analysis, the nationwide point prevalence of MDD was estimated to be 1.6% (95% CI: 1.2-1.9), 12-month prevalence to be 2.3% (95% CI: 1.8-5.5) and lifetime prevalence to be 3.3% (95% CI: 2.4-4.1). Point prevalence was higher in rural compared to urban areas. The other studies conducted across different regions reported point prevalence ranging from 3.6% to 9.4%, 12-month prevalence from 3.8% to 8.4% and lifetime prevalence of 6.5% to 10%. A hospital-based study reported higher estimates (point prevalence of 7.5% and lifetime prevalence of 10%), possibly reflective of higher prevalence of MDD in patients with physical comorbidity or patients seeking help at hospitals. 11.0% to 16.3% of patients with MDD were reported to have attempted suicide within 1 year, more frequently among patients from rural compared to urban area. About 27-28% of patient who committed suicide had history of MDD. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of MDD in China reported was variable between regions. The possible reason for this difference could be due to geographical and methodological differences. However, the reported prevalence was lower compared to that in western countries. Overall, the burden of MDD in China remains high due to its large population size.