Abstract: Advanced Directives are about decisions on the end-of-life treatment made by patients when they have the ability to express themselves. It is a respect for patients' medical autonomy and a significant progress in the development of the medical treatment and legal system. Having been made legal and put to practice in countries throughout the world, Advanced Directives are still new to China. Although the concept has been known to several places in China, including Taiwan, Hong Kong and Beijing, problems regarding the confusion about the concept itself and researches mainly focusing on attitudes of doctors, nurses and patients remain to be solved. Besides, legislation about Advanced Directives in China still needs to take a further step, which is of vital importance. In this paper, the concept of Advanced Directives and its development including legislation and medical practice at home and abroad are described and discussed as well as the possible difficulties and problems of it being implemented in China and the feasibility of legislation under present circumstances.

Key words: living wills; Advanced Directives; deathbed care