Abstract: This paper first gives a compendious introduction of image engineering and its three layers，and then analyses the classification results of the survey series of the yearly bibliographies on image engineering in China． From the analysis，four research hot-points in the research and applications of image engineering in China are induced．These four hot-points，named digital image watermark and information hiding，detection and recognition of human face and organ，multi-sensor data fusion，content-based visual information retrieval，are belong to the three layers of image engineering．The basic principal，current research situation，application particularity，existing problems，development trend and directions are detailed in the paper．This will provide some useful information for the research and application of image engineering and practical references for launching related development works．