This paper reports on a study aimed at providing a structure for the various types of “archives” in China. As the concept of “archives” in China has Chinese characteristics (hence the quotation marks), so is the practice in China that is relevant to the Chinese “archives.” Developing a typology of Chinese “archives,” therefore, did not strive to tease out the logics between and among these types, but rather focused on outlining their existence in their originating environment. The typology was developed using the perspective of historical development, i.e., presenting the various types of archives along with the particular times and/or spaces in which they existed and functioned. Representative features were summarized based on the practices associated with these archives, i.e., the time requirement for internal archival transfer, the broad coverage of archives and the flexible criteria for archives categorization. These features differ from those in other countries and are related to the requirements of Chinese archival management. It is hoped that this presentation of the typology of Chinese “archives” will provide readers outside of China an informative introduction and a general understanding of archival practices in China, and will provide a foundation for comparative studies between China and other countries.