In the 1980s, researchers from the Intense Laser Physics Laboratory of the University of Science and Technology of China overcame various theoretical, technical and financial difficulties, successfully developed the first 10 GW tunable neodymium (Nd) glass laser system (Huaguang Setup) in the world, which was stabilized for laser output and passed the appraisal on 25 November 1989. The successful development of Huaguang Setup not only provided a new platform for the research of laser-matter interaction and other frontier sciences, but also made an important contribution to the cultivation of high-level laser science and technology talents in China. Based on the historical literature and archives, combined with the interviews of the main experimental personnel involved in the development of Huaguang Setup, this paper makes a systematic review of the historical background and development process of Huaguang Setup, and preliminary explores the reasons for the successful development of the setup.