The concept of "problem situation" occupies a central position in Chinese mathematics curriculum standards. Rather than treating situations as mere decorative backgrounds for mathematical problems, the Chinese curriculum imbues them with a generative epistemological role, serving as the soil from which mathematical knowledge grows. This paper examines this distinctive conception through comparative analysis with four major international theoretical traditions: PISA's mathematical literacy framework, Brousseau's Theory of Didactical Situations, Freudenthal's Realistic Mathematics Education, and Lave and Wenger's theory of situated learning. The analysis reveals that the Chinese curriculum's treatment of problem situations is unique in simultaneously positioning them as cognitive activities, instructional goals, and instructional approaches. This triple function resonates with but also diverges from international perspectives. Furthermore, the Chinese curriculum distinguishes three types of situations (real-world, mathematical, and scientific), each of which entails distinct epistemological demands: mathematization for real-world situations, formalization for mathematical situations, and modeling for scientific situations. The paper traces how this three-fold typology develops across educational stages from elementary to senior high school and argues that the Chinese curriculum's conception of problem situations offers productive contributions to international mathematics education discourse.
