Based on the leadership research literature published on Chinese core academic journals from 2000 to 2010, this paper provided a comprehensive review on the status quo of leadership research in Mainland China. The current paper reviewed the development of relevant literature and topic distributions, and summa-rized domestic research progress on both developing indigenous leadership theories and examining and ex-tending western leadership theories since 2000, using content analysis approach. Current problems and future directions are also suggested on theoretical construction and research methods aspects of Chinese leadership research. This paper claimed that: 1) Chinese leadership research complied with the limitations of western re-search paradigm when adopting western leadership research approach; 2) Innovations of leadership theories should incorporate representative leadership practices; 3) Future studies in developing leadership theory press for seeking proper scientific research methodology for leadership studies and logical starting points for theo-retical construction; and 4) Developing effective leadership theoretical models will be the crucial issue for fu-ture researchers to achieve breakthroughs.