During　the　great　Wenchuan　earthquake,　about　460　permanent　free-field　stations　in　National　Strong　Motion　Observation　Network　System　(NSMONS)　of　China　captured　the　main　shock　acceleration　records.　These　records　can　be　applied　to　site　effect　analyses,　and　then　the　site　classification　of　those　permanent　stations　can　be　carried　out　firstly,　which　will　served　as　the　fundamental　information　for　further　research.　In　this　paper,　the　site　of　near-fault　stations　is　classified　by　horizontal-to-vertical　spectral　ratio　(HVSR)　method　according　to　the　site　class　description　of　Japan　earthquake　resistant　design　code　and　response　spectral　shapes　(RSS)　method　following　the　site　class　description　of　the　1997　Uniform　Building　Code　(UBC)　provisions.　Then　based　on　the　detailed　borehole　data　of　those　free-field　stations,　the　equivalent　shear　wave　velocity　and　overburden　thickness　are　calculated　and　the　site　classifications　are　given　by　Chinese　code　for　seismic　design　of　buildings.　Furthermore,　for　the　stations　having　successful　microtremor　test　data,　the　site　dominant　periods　are　computed　to　verify　the　results　of　site　classification.　Finally,　combined　with　all　the　above　results,　the　recommended　site　classes　of　near-fault　permanent　free-field　stations　are　given.　©　2010　The　Seismological　Society　of　China　and　Springer-Verlag　Berlin　Heidelberg.