Abstract: Three stages of colored rice development in China were put forward by rice breeding research combined with historical data. The breeding of colored rice and research progress were reviewed through line breeding, cross breeding, heterosis utilization, biotechnology breeding, space mutation breeding and radiation breeding. Furthermore, the local variety resources of colored rice were evaluated and their genetic characters were studied. The character of medicinal and edible colored rice and its potential business opportunity were elucidated．

Key words: colored rice, development, evaluation, genetic selection