Major Function-Oriented Zone Planning (MFOZ Planning) is an important attempt in China in spatial planning since the beginning of the new century, and it has also been raised to the national strategic level in the field of territorial development. This paper expounds the origin and evolution of the strategy of MFOZ planning. Firstly, the paper points out that the unbalanced regional development is in urgent need for the implementing the strategy of MFOZ planning. In order to solve the problem of disorderly exploitation of territorial space in the process of regional development, a clear spatial pattern of territorial function should be established, and the orientation of the development of each region should be determined based on the function orientation thereof. After that, proceeding from the connotations and the formation mechanism of territorial functions the paper elaborates on the formation process of territorial functions, indicating that such a process is developed based on the integration of background functions of natural system and demand functions of human system. Next, in accordance with the work requirements of the planning, the paper introduces several key issues such as the selection of index system, spatial organization of function-oriented zones, and development orientation of major functions, and explains the orientation and framework of the policies related to MFOZ planning. Finally, it discusses the implementation, development and improvement of tthe strategy of MFOZ planning from three aspects, i.e. responsibility system, spatial planning system, and scientific support system.