As　an　industry　and　a　discipline,　geotechnical　investigation　in　China　differs　from　that　in　the　USA　and　European　countries　in　its　course　of　emergence　and　evolution.　For　over　half　a　century,　Chinese　geotechnical.　investigation　professionals　witnessed　continuous　technical　advances　as　they　undertook　independently　almost　all　of　China＇s　large-scale　construction　projects.　Based　on　projects　that　won　the　＂National　Outstanding　Engineering　Investigation＂　Gold　Medal　Awards　since　the　year　2000,　this　paper　discusses　the　achievements　of　geotechnical　investigation　in　the　context　of　comprehensive　technical　ability,　project　evaluation　and　analysis,　hi-tech　applications　and　engineering　monitoring,　and　analyzes　several　factors　that　have　hindered　the　industry＇s　further　development　and　alignment　with　international　practice.　Finally,　some　suggestions　are　given　for　future　improvement.