Background: The current treatment of gliomas is increasingly individualized. Glioma surgery facilitates histological diagnosis, mitigates tumor-occupying effects and, more importantly, prolongs patient survival. In the past two decades, many surgical techniques and assistive technologies have been applied to glioma surgery, which has led to a rapid development in the field of glioma surgery. In this paper, we review the relevant studies on glioma surgery in China and summarize the current status of surgical treatment of glioma in China. Methods: A literature search was utilized to cover the current major and adjuvant techniques in glioma surgery in China. The following databases were searched: Pubmed database (January 1995 to present); China Knowledge Resources Integrated Database (CNKI) (January 1995 to present) and China Science and Technology Journal VIP database (January 1995 to present). Duplicate and irrelevant literature was excluded by screening criteria, and then relevant results and methods were extracted from the literature included in the study. RESULTS: The initial search resulted in 3307 articles, and 69 relevant research papers were included and further analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: In China, the concept of surgical treatment of gliomas is undergoing a dramatic change. Nowadays, Chinese neurosurgeons are more concerned about the postoperative neurological function of their patients. The goal of glioma surgery is not only wider tumor resection, but also to achieve maximum safety. How to strike a good balance between longer survival and better quality of life should be determined on a patient-by-patient basis.