Compulsory education is the fundamental education for citizens and is the source of state power, which radically determines thought level, political awareness, cultural sense and production ability of the entire nation. Therefore, to popularize compulsory education is the root of a country. This paper explains the meanings of compulsory education, compares domestic compulsory education with those abroad, reviews and illustrates the past and present conditions of China's compulsory education, and puts forward development direction of China's compulsory education.