Kashin-Beck　Disease　(KBD)　is　an　endemic　osteoarthropathy　in　areas　which　extend　from　the　North-East　to　the　South-West　of　China.　Most　of　the　patients　with　KBD　suffer　multiple　dysfunctions　in　major　joints　causing　decreased　health　status.　However　because　of　their　low　education　level　and　unique　living　habits,　it　is　hard　to　find　tools　to　measure　the　health-related　quality　of　life　(HRQOL).　European　quality　of　life　(EQ-5D-3L)　patient-reported　instrument　is　widely　used　to　measure　HRQOL.　This　study　aimed　to　establish　the　validity　and　reliability　of　the　Chinese　version　of　the　EQ-5D-3L　for　evaluating　HRQOL　of　KBD　individuals　in　rural　area.368　individuals　who　were　suffering　from　KBD　were　recruited　through　stratified　multistage　random　sampling　from　Shaanxi　province,　China.　The　EQ-5D-3L　and　the　WHOQOL-BREF　were　administrated　in　each　individual　by　face　to　face　interview.　Test-retest　reliability　was　assessed　at　10-14 days　intervals.　The　test-retest　reliability　was　measured　by　calculating　the　Kappa　coefficients　for　EQ-5D-3L　five　dimensions.　For　the　EQ　VAS,　the　intraclass　correlation　coefficient　(ICC)　was　computed.　Convergent　and　divergent　analysis,　construct　validity　was　established　using　Spearman＇s　rank　correlation　between　the　EQ-5D-3L　and　the　WHOQOL-BREF.　Known　groups＇　validity　was　examined　by　comparing　groups　with　a　priori　expected　differences　in　health-related　quality　of　life　(HRQOL).For　362　individuals　(98%),　comprehensive　data　of　all　the　EQ-5D-3L　dimensions　were　available.　Kappa　values　of　the　EQ-5D-3L　five　items　ranged　from　0.324　to　0.554.　ICC　of　the　EQ　VAS　was　0.497.　For　convergent　validity,　the　three　items　(self-care,　usual　activity,　and　mobility)　of　EQ-5D-3L,　index　scores,　and　VAS　showed　moderate　correlations　with　the　physical　health　domain　of　the　WHOQOL-BREF　(r　absolute　value　ranged　from　0.339　to　0.475).　For　divergent　validity,　the　5　items　of　EQ-5D-3L　showed　weak　or　no　correlations　with　environment　and　social　relationship　domains　of　WHOQOL-BREF.　The　Chinese　EQ-5D-3L　clearly　demarcated　between　groups　which　were　reporting　severe　disease　degree,　poorer　general　health,　more　number　of　painful　joints　with　worse　HRQOL.The　EQ-5D-3L　Chinese　Version　demonstrated　fair　to　moderate　levels　of　test-retest　reliability　and　adequate　construct　validity　in　KBD　individuals　in　China.