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The purpose of this paper is to explore how shadowing has been applied as a method for principal development in China, in terms of its aims, the procedure and the transfer of learning. Four shadowing programmes countrywide were selected. The information on the experience of the participants, providers and mentors from high-performing site schools was obtained using semi-structured interviews. A total of 16 programme participants, 4 providers and 4 mentors from high-performing site schools were involved. This study presents a comprehensive picture of the use of shadowing as a method for principal development in China by exploring individuals who were directly involved in the shadowing programmes, and by bridging leadership learning to leadership practice stressing on transfer of learning upon completion of the programmes. The research found that learning by shadowing transferred into some positive changes in participants, at both cognitive and practical levels, when they shadow in high-performing schools. However, orientations for learning and relationships during learning were weakly established in most of the programmes, which could hardly support participants to internalise and contextualise their learning into practice for strategic or systematic changes.