China is a densely populated country faced with more than 1 million cases of traumatic brain injury annually. Since the late 1930s, there has been a great improvement in the field of neurosurgery in the treatment of neurotrauma. The objective of this article is to delve into the genesis of neurotrauma and its present situation to fellow neurosurgeons to enhance academic exchange and interaction between China and other parts of the world. We present a historical vignette of the development of neurotrauma in China over almost 80 years. It is valuable to have this documentation of the growth of neurosurgery in China by authors who are familiar with the subject matter.