Since the end of the last century, Earth Science has stepped into a new era: the concept of Earth System Science becomes a leading trend of earth science in the new century. Many institutions and governmental branches in the world have made relevant earth science strategic plans. These are mainly based on the scientific frontiers as well as their scientific resources and their administrative roles. The development of Earth Science in China will take advantages of the natural features and demanding and opportunities originated from the rapid social development. This paper proposes a conceptual model for the research of earth system science in China. In the framework of this model, Chinese Earth Science community may contribute to the development of Earth System Science with research paradigms in two categories: the studies on the critical aspects in the material and energy cycling related to the nature of the Chinese territory, and the studies emphasizing regional integration. Instrumentation for the Earth System observation and modeling also need to be reinforced.