Rapid　urbanization　and　economic　development　inevitably　lead　to　light　pollution,　which　has　become　a　universal　environmental　issue.　In　order　to　reveal　the　spatiotemporal　patterns　and　evolvement　rules　of　light　pollution　in　China,　images　from　1992　to　2012　were　selected　from　the　Defense　Meteorological　Satellite　Program　Operational　Linescan　System　(DMSP/OLS)　and　systematically　corrected　to　ensure　consistency.　Furthermore,　we　employed　a　linear　regression　trend　method　and　nighttime　light　index　method　to　demonstrate　China＇s　light　pollution　characteristics　across　national,　regional,　and　provincial　scales,　respectively.　We　found　that:　(1)　China＇s　light　pollution　expanded　significantly　in　provincial　capital　cities　over　the　past　21　years　and　hot-spots　of　light　pollution　were　located　in　the　eastern　coastal　region.　The　Yangtze　River　Delta,　Pearl　River　Delta,　and　Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei　regions　have　formed　light　pollution　stretch　areas;　(2)　China＇s　light　pollution　was　mainly　focused　in　areas　of　north　China　(NC)　and　east　China　(EC),　which,　together,　accounted　for　over　50%　of　the　light　pollution　for　the　whole　country.　The　fastest　growth　of　light　pollution　was　observed　in　northwest　China　(NWC),　followed　by　southwest　China　(SWC).　The　growth　rates　of　east　China　(EC),　central　China　(CC),　and　northeast　China　(NEC)　were　stable,　while　those　of　north　China　(NC)　and　south　China　(SC)　declined;　(3)　Light　pollution　at　the　provincial　scale　was　mainly　located　in　the　Shandong,　Guangdong,　and　Hebei　provinces,　whereas　the　fastest　growth　of　light　pollution　was　in　Tibet　and　Hainan.　However,　light　pollution　levels　in　the　developed　provinces　(Hong　Kong,　Macao,　Shanghai,　and　Tianjin)　were　higher　than　those　of　the　undeveloped　provinces.　Similarly,　the　light　pollution　heterogeneities　of　Taiwan,　Beijing,　and　Shanghai　were　higher　than　those　of　undeveloped　western　provinces.　©　2017　by　the　authors.