This study divided 60 years since from 1949 into different periods，and selected some cities at the national level. It built up a system of indicators to measure urban centricity in different periods and used the more regression analysis to analyze cities’ functional characteristics. Meanwhile，referring to the research results of headquarters economy，the paper analyses the historical vicissitude of Guangzhou’s status and role in China. The analysis shows that：①Guangzhou’s status has been upgraded from a regional central city to a quasi-national central city. ②Guangzhou’s urban function has been turning with its increasing status：Commercial services—Manufacturing—Commodity circulation and Material-processing industry—Modern services and Equipment Manufacturing. It has become a highly outwardly oriented urban. ③Guangzhou will undertake commodities interflow as the major function among national cities. Highly integrated development will gradually eliminate short board of the functions，and it will present “Big Guangzhou” metropolitan area in space.