The gentry class as a new class in the modern society is a product of the social transformation period, which provides a good way to observe the social development for us. Recent years, there are a lot of researches and books about the gentry class, but no research overview. Scholars have different understandings for the meaning, the nature and functions of the gentry class. Analysing various ideas can help readers build the overall understanding of the gentry class, and promote the study on the gentry class.