Advancements in molecular techniques has expanded our knowledge on the evolutionary relationships between birds. This has led to many changes in bird classifications from Peters’ system, which was based on morphological traits. ZHENG Guang-Mei was the editor of the first to fourth editions of A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of China from 2005 to 2023, a book that reflects the current research. This paper is to commemorate the Academician ZHENG Guang-Mei on the first anniversary of his passing.This paper analyzes the reasons changes were made at the order and family levels. Original studies were examined, especially those that deal with mitochondrial and nuclear genes and whole genomes during the last few decades. When you compare the first to the second edition, few changes were made; same with the third to the fourth edition. However, between the second and third edition, four new orders (e.g. PHAETHONTIFORMES, OTIDIFORMES, SULIFORMES and FALCONIFORMES), and fourteen new families were added. Additionally, two orders (e.g. APODIFORMES and UPUPIFORMES), and six families were removed. We will trace the reasons for these changes according to the original studies.The four editions edited by ZHENG Guang-Mei have become important references for the systematic classification of birds in China during the 21st century. We need to take after and embrace Academician ZHENG Guang-Mei’s spirit of drawing on the strengths of others and keeping up with the times.