Ecological　civilization　construction　has　become　one　of　the　key　strategies　to　address　China＇s　serious　resource　and　environmental　issues.　However,　how　to　define　and　how　to　assess　ecological　civilization　(EC)　are　worth　further　exploring.　This　paper　constructed　a　people-oriented　EC　indicator　system,　composed　of　a　set　of　indicators,　viz.　Degree　of　Physiological　Equilibrium　(DPE),　Degree　of　Psychological　Imbalance　(DPI),　Degree　of　Imbalance　of　Human　and　Environment　(DINE),　Degree　of　Human　Development　(DHP),　Disharmony　Degree　of　Economy　and　Environment　(DDEE),　and　a　composite　index-Ecological　Civilization　Index　(ECI),　and　then　the　indicator　system　was　used　to　investigate　the　trends　of　China＇s　EC　construction　during　1980-2010.　Based　on　the　reference　year　1980,　the　study　revealed　that:　(1)　Physiological　equilibrium　of　Chinese　people　has　been　slightly　disturbed;　(2)　Psychological　balance　of　Chinese　people　has　been　broken　seriously;　(3)　The　balance　between　human　and　environment　has　been　destroyed　greatly;　(4)　China　has　achieved　great　progress　in　promoting　human　development;　(5)　this　country　has　improved　the　relationship　between　economy　and　environment　obviously,　despite　that　this　improvement　pace　still　falls　behind　speed　of　economic　growth;　and　(6)　China＇s　EC　level　has　declined　during　this　study　period.　Therein,　psychological　problem　and　conflict　between　human　and　environment　are　the　key　obstacles　to　China＇s　EC　progress.　China＇s　government　should　further　emphasize　reform　of　its　income　distribution　system　and　transformation　of　its　economic　development　mode　in　the　future.　(C)　2016　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.