This paper estimated China's provincial technical efficiency change from 1979-2004,by applying Stochastic Frontier Analysis as well as the Deterministic Parametric Frontier model(Malmquist index).While a slight increase in average technical efficiency has been observed from the overall estimation result,a serious slowdown and decrease exists since mid 1990s.The study surfaces reflections on the sustainability of China's economic growth pattern and raises the question of whether the Independent Innovation could independently motivate the economy in the long run.