This study was to explore the current state of creativity among university teachers in Shaanxi, China. The study was based on creativity systems theory and a questionnaire survey was conducted with a convenience sample of university teachers in Shaanxi Province. A total of 711 teachers from 30 universities were sampled to compare the effects of demographic variables such as gender, title, subject background, and creativity award experience on statistical differences in creativity, and SPSS was used to analyse the effects between teachers' cognitive needs and creativity in the university context. The results of the study revealed that there were significant differences between title, subject background, and creativity award experience on creativity and cognitive needs of university teachers in Shaanxi; and there was a positive and significant effect of cognitive needs of university teachers on creativity.