Based on ESI database and factor analysis,this paper evaluates the discipline construction performance of the 41 first - lass universities in China. The findings are as follows: Firstly,the difference of the discipline construction performance in the first - lass universities is obvious. Secondly,there is a strong positive correlation between the discipline construction performance and the iscipline scale in the first - class universities,and it is significant at the level of 0. 01. Thirdly,the discipline construction of most rst - class universities have the problem of emphasizing on scale but ignoring of quality. Fourthly,the evaluation results objectively alidate the scientificity of the first round“double first - class”selection criteria. Finally,according to the evaluation results,the 41 rst - class universities are divided into five levels,and development strategies are put forward according to the classification.