Since 1980s, with the popularization and deepening of social sports in China, the social sports guidance center has been a sports institution established under the administrative leadership, which was originally produced in the process of striving for an advanced sports county. It is an integral part of China's social sports management system, with two major functions of managing and organizing mass sports activities.

According to the requirements of the Outline of the National Fitness Program, the sports department at or above the county level shall set up a social sports guidance center. In this way, there is a network of social sports guidance centers from countries, provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government), cities, regions to counties.