This mixed-method study developed a conceptual model for understanding the characteristics of professional learning communities (PLCs) in Chinese context. Exploratory qualitative interviews were first conducted to examine the characteristics of PLCs in several schools in Shanghai, China, through which an initial conceptual model was resulted. Based on the qualitative findings, a questionnaire was developed and then administered in 31 schools in Shanghai to adjust the conceptual model. Results show that rooted in the Chinese institutional (i.e., the accountability system and the Teaching Research System) and cultural (i.e., the collective and harmonious culture) context, PLCs in China could be operationalized in terms of eight characteristics at two levels, including collective inquiry and sharing, shared purpose and responsibility, informal collaborative learning, supportive leadership, organizational structure, collaborative relationship, institutional barriers, and cultural barriers. Practical implications and suggestions for future research are put forward.