Original basic research is related to the improvement of the original innovation ability of the whole scientific system. Attaching great importance to its funding work, a special Original Exploration Program (OEP) that adopting unconventional funding mechanismswas launched by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) at the end of 2019 to further guide and encourage researchers to engage in the work of original basic research.In 2020 and 2021, the departments of NSFC explored a variety of ways to set up, solicit and evaluate OEP projects and achieved positive results, which provides a typical case for China to explore the establishment of unconventional funding mechanisms for original basic research. According to the study, although NSFC departments have adopted diversified funding patterns, some key common characteristics can be found, including: 1. Pre-application is one of the effective ways to secure a wide and high-quality source of original ideas. 2. The complementarity of double-blind communication review and review meeting defense constitutes a targeted review mechanism that helps original innovation stand out; 3. Feedback and responses of review opinions as well as full discussion at review meetings are feasible ways to reduce the risk of non-consensus in peer review of original basic research; 4. Original basic research requires flexible duration of funding to cope with high risk and uncertainty. These conclusions constitute important mechanism characteristics suitable for China’s original basic research funding under the NSFC’s funding system, as well as a Chinese solution to original basic research funding.