【Purpose/significance】From the dynamic perspective,through the visual analysis of the space-time and thematic evolution of knowledge mapping research in China, we summarized its evolutional characteristics and proposed development proposals in order to promote the sustainable development of this field.【Method/process】Using CNKI as the data resource, this paper retrieved related literatures about"knowledge mapping". We identified the development stage of knowledge mapping in China through the function fitting, and analyzed the persistence of relevant institutions by the k-core method. With the new keywords in each stage, we untangled the evolution of analysis methods, analysis tools, application fields,and data sources of knowledge mapping research in China.【Result/conclusion】The development process of China’s knowledge mapping research can be divided into starting stage, low-speed development stage and high-speed development stage,and it is now in an accelerated development stage. Relevant research institutes are distributed more discretely and their research is less sustainable. Analysis methods, analysis tools, and data sources are relatively fixed, and the application field is wide and its development is diversification, cross-cutting, socialization, modernization and internationalization.