Based upon the perspective of social mobility theory, this paper attempts to identify the nature of CCP's cadre appointment system by depicting the pattern of elite promotion. Deriving from the current political context that is being institutionalized, the paper proposes a notion of successor cultivation combining the two aspects-early selection and capability testing. From the perspective of elite mobility, the age for being selected and work arrangement/transfer would be a battery of representations under this notion. The empirical evidence of this study is based on the CC members for the period from the 15th to 17th Party Congresses, and the author confirms how the two parts of successor cultivation can explain the outcomes of elite promotion. Following the notion of successor cultivation, this paper also suggests several candidates for leadership promotion at the CCP's 18th Party Congress in 2012.