As　the　main　concentration　area　of　human　production　and　living,　cities　are　always　facing　the　threat　of　various　natural　disasters　such　as　earthquakes,　rainstorms,　and　typhoons.　Strengthening　the　research　on　urban　disaster　prevention　and　reduction　from　a　systematic　point　of　view　is　an　important　subject　for　civil　engineering　discipline.　As　a　new　concept　in　the　urban　disaster　prevention　and　reduction　in　recent　years,　resilient　cities　refer　to　cities　that　can　ensure　the　basic　living　needs　of　residents　and　quickly　restore　their　functions　after　various　natural　disasters　and　man-made　shocks.　Based　on　the　two　landmark　events　in　the　history　of　urban　disaster　prevention　and　reduction　in　China,　the　Tangshan　earthquake　and　the　Wenchuan　earthquake,　this　paper　conducted　an　in-depth　analysis　of　a　series　of　investigation　reports　on　the　disasters　and　thoroughly　studied　the　entire　process　of　urban　destruction　and　recovery　from　the　perspective　of　resilient　city.　The　following　work　is　done:　1)　defining　the　city　from　a　systemic　perspective,　defining　the　basic　concepts　and　quantification　methods,　basic　dimensions　and　basic　features　of　resilient　city;　2)　clarifying　the　basic　restoration　process　and　the　recovery　curves　after　disasters;　3)　revealing　the　phenomenon　and　intrinsic　mechanism　of　spatial　differentiation　after　urban　post-disaster;　4)　discussing　the　basic　restoration　process　and　coupling　characteristics　of　urban　lifeline　systems;　5)　suggesting　some　special　infrastructure　systems　that　have　not　received　attention.　Based　on　the　facts,　this　paper　not　only　systematically　summarizes　China’s　experience,　exploration,　and　great　achievements　in　the　field　of　urban　disaster　prevention　and　reduction　in　the　Tangshan　earthquake　and　the　Wenchuan　earthquake,　but　also　provides　an　effective　reference　for　building　a　research　and　practice　system　for　resilient　cities　with　Chinese　characteristics　in　the　future.　©　2023　Beijing　University　of　Technology.　All　rights　reserved.