Abstract: A comprehensive description on the development of respiration chamber for measuring energy metabolism of animals in the world over a century was made. The origin, application, and advantage or disadvantage about three types of chambers,i, e. open-circuit,closed-circuit and open-closed circuit were expounded. Through the description on the development of construction and designation of respiration chamber,the tendency of study on the respiration chamber in the world was elucidated. Current condition in the study on respiration chamber in China was also anylized objectively. Some useful suggestions about the development of respiration chamber in China were given.