Bivalve is the main species of mariculture in China. In 2015, bivalve production was about 12.4 million tonnes, accounting for more than 66% of China’s total mariculture production. The first record of shellfish culture in China, about oyster culture, can be tracked back to 2000 years ago. The large-scale aquaculture started in the 1950s with the breakthrough in seed breeding techniques for Tegillarca granosa and Ruditapes philippinarum. Subsequently, with the promotion of seed breeding and artificial seed collection for mussels, scallops and oysters, the bivalve aquaculture industry has rapidly developed. In the twenty-first century, the scale of bivalve farming is constantly expanding, with increasing culture species and yield. The length of the coastline of China is about 18,000 km comprising 11 coastal provinces (Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan provinces), all suitable for bivalve culture. Due to the significant difference in climate, the distribution of bivalve species is obviously regional. The major culture methods in China are longline culture (major species oysters, scallops, mussels, etc.) and bottom culture (clams). In this paper, we will describe the process of the longline cultured bivalve (Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas and thick shell mussel Mytilus coruscus), and the bottom cultured ones (Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum and cockle clam Tegillarca granosa). 贝类是中国海水养殖的主要种类,2015年贝类养殖产量约为1360万吨,占中国海水养殖总产量的72.4%,其中双壳贝类产量约为1240万吨,占贝类总产量的90%以上。中国的贝类养殖历史悠久,距今2000多年前就有牡蛎养殖的记载,但规模化养殖始于20世纪70年代,这主要得益于贝类的苗种繁育技术得到了提高;随后,贻贝、扇贝、牡蛎等多种贝类的苗种繁育和人工采苗技术的建立,推动了贝类产业的迅速发展。进入21世纪,贝类养殖规模不断扩大,养殖种类不断增加,养殖产量大幅度提高。中国海岸线长度为1.8万公里,从北到南跨越辽宁、河北、天津、山东、江苏、上海、浙江、福建、广东、广西和海南11个省(直辖市),大多数海域都适合贝类养殖,因气候差异显著,贝类分布具有明显地域性。中国贝类养殖方式主要包括筏式养殖和底播养殖,前者主要养殖种类包括牡蛎、扇贝、贻贝等;后者主要养殖种类包括菲律宾蛤仔、毛蚶、文蛤、虾夷扇贝等。本文分别以长牡蛎、厚壳贻贝为代表介绍了筏式养殖贝类的苗种生产和养殖过程;以菲律宾蛤仔和泥蚶为例介绍了滩涂贝类的苗种繁育和养殖过程。