ObjectiveTo analyze the earthquake emergency plans in 31 provinces (including autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government) of China, in order to summarize the relevant characteristics and discuss the existing problems to provide references for the revision and improvement of the earthquake emergency plan for the government and relevant departments. MethodsComprehensive literature search was conducted in the following websites:The Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China, China Earthquake Information Network, China Earthquake Administration, Government Websites and Earthquake Information Networks in 31 provinces (including autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government) of China. The literature which met the inclusion criteria was collected for descriptive analysis. ResultsEarthquake emergency plans in 31 provinces (including autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government) played a guiding role in the earthquake emergency and rescue work. However, some existing problems needed to be solved, which included:poor manoeuvrability of earthquake emergency plan, inadequate mechanisms of early warning and prevention, lower security on command platform and emergency shelter, and unclearly defined updating and revising time. ConclusionDifferent provinces (including autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government) of China should establish sound laws and regulations, improve the mechanisms of early warning and prevention, strengthen security measures of command platform and emergency shelter, and update and revise plans timely combined with its own characteristics, so that earthquake emergency plans could play a greater role in earthquake emergency in the future.