The Embassy is located on the territory of the former Russian Orthodox Mission, established in the early 18th century with the active involvement of Russian merchants and with the consent of the Kangxi Emperor.
The establishment of the Russian Orthodox Mission in Beijing dates back to the late 17th century, when a group of Russian Cossacks, taken prisoner by the Qing Dynasty's forces during the capture of Albazin fortress on the Russian-Chinese border, arrived in the Chinese capital. The Cossacks settled in north Beijing, where the Orthodox Mission was subsequently established.
Before the signing of the Russian-Chinese Treaty of Tientsin in 1858, the Mission was financed by both China and Russia. The Russian Government subsequently undertook to finance its upkeep.
Before the opening of a permanent Russian Embassy in 1860, the Russian Orthodox Mission served as the country's only mission in China. Throughout its existence, about 100 priests and over 60 students, doctors and artists served with the Mission.
Members of the Mission played an important role in asserting and developing Russian Sinology. Illarion Rossokhin, Alexei Leontyev, Bishop Iakinf (Bichurin) of Beijing, Archimandrite Palady (Kafarov) and other scientists who laid the foundations of Russian Sinology worked at the Mission. Unlike Catholic and Protestant missionaries, Russian priests did not preach actively until 1860 because the Government feared arousing the discontent of the Qing court and losing the only source of information about Chinese developments.
The Russian Orthodox Mission closed down in 1955. Its 20th, and last, chief, Father Viktor (Svyatin), helped many Russians return to the Soviet Union from China. Father Viktor returned to the USSR in 1956 and was appointed Archbishop of Krasnodar and Kuban that same year. In 1961, he was raised to the rank of Metropolitan of Krasnodar and Kuban.
The Embassy retains numerous old monuments, including the former bishop's chambers. The Embassy's Consular Department is located in the former Mission library.
The Embassy covers a territory of 16 hectares. In 1959, its administrative building was built to a design by architect Andreyev, who also co-designed Moscow's Lomonosov State University. The trade delegation, the Embassy school, apartment buildings, a club with a canteen, a daycare centre, a children's playground and a sports facility comprising volleyball/basketball pitches, a swimming pool and a tennis court are also located there. A large park with a flow-through canal is located on the Embassy's territory. The pond, which freezes in winter, is used as a skating rink.