Recently, the relationship between industrial development and the environment has deteriorated, and sustainable development has become a prominent issue, facilitating a general review of industrial ecology research for theoretical guidance. In the present paper, a citation spatial analysis tool (Citespace Ⅱ) was used to draw a knowledge map of industrial ecology, based on global qualitative and quantitative research, focusing on the knowledge base, development trails, and research hotspots. Industrial ecology research in China first began in the early 1980s, and after tireless efforts and theoretical explorations, has been developed in a Chinese context with practical extensive investigations. Simultaneously, the development of national ecological demonstration areas has progressed considerably over the past 15 years, and 45 ecological parks had been approved and named as national ecological demonstration zones. With the development of ecological civilization, national environmental protection has improved substantially. However, improvement is needed regarding ecological industry development and green manufacturing, to develop industrial ecology in a Chinese context. It has been proposed that industrial ecology is an interdisciplinary study, including environmental science, ecology, management, and economics; eco-industrial parks are an important aspect of industrial development, requiring effective integration of ecosystem theory and industrial process reconstruction. Urban and agricultural development and their symbiosis are still the current research focus, and life cycle assessment and input-output analysis are important analytical tools for this development. The ecological problems facing industrial development in China will be a key issue in future research.