Barrier-lagoon system as one of the important sedimentary units is widely distributed in the coastal zone of China.Along with the postglacial transgression and regression they have been continuously formed and developed with migration of the coastline.This article deals with the formation, distribution, developing direction and criteria for recognition of the barrier-lagoon sedimentary systems, which can be classified into transgressive, regressive and stable ones in China.Based on the examples of barrier-lagoon systems along the coastal zone of China, some views about these systems in foreign literatures are discussed and commented.