There has been four different dates and types of Teachers' Day in different historical periods. China has always had a tradition of respecting teachers and valuing education based on the teachings of Confucius and Mencius, but the earliest appearance of Teachers' Day can be traced back to the 1930s.

In 1931, well-known professors in the education field, such as Tai Shuangqiu and Cheng Qibao, contacted education professionals in Beijing and Shanghai to establish June 6th as Teachers' Day and published the "Teachers' Day Declaration", which proposed three objectives: improving teacher treatment, safeguarding teacher work, and enhancing teacher cultivation. This was known as the "6.6" Teachers' Day. However, this Teachers' Day was a spontaneous folk behavior and did not receive official recognition from the government.

In 1939, the Nationalist Government decided to set August 27th, the birthday of the Chinese educator Confucius, as "Teachers' Day" and issued the "Interim Measures for Commemorating Teachers' Day," which was known as the "8.27" Teachers' Day.

"In 1951, the Ministry of Education and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions jointly agreed to use May 1st, International Labor Day, as China's Teachers' Day. This holiday was called the "5.1" Teachers' Day, but for various reasons, it was not actually implemented.

On January 21, 1985, in order to promote the fine tradition of "respecting teachers and valuing education" and elevate the status of teachers, the Ninth Meeting of the Sixth National People's Congress Standing Committee determined that September 10th would be China's Teachers' Day. The "9.10" Teachers' Day has been celebrated ever since. This is the origin of China's Teachers' Day.