Abstract: The measurement principle, measurement steps and the recent development of contour method were introduced, the cross-section residual stress distribution along the ＜001＞ direction in a bar-shape single crystal nickel-based superalloy sample and the internal residual stress distribution near the turbine blade root were successfully obtained and studied by contour method. The results show that relatively low residual stress（＜ 100 MPa） exits in the as-cast DD33 single crystal bar sample along the ＜001＞ direction due to the low drawing rate; no obvious recrystallization was found after the solid solution treatment. However, higher residual stress up to 300 MPa was found near the turbine blade root. The work is the first to use contour method for measurement of internal residual stress distribution of high temperature single crystal superalloys with complex shape characteristic. Further work is required to systematically study the influence of internal residual stress magnitude and distribution on the performance and life-time of turbine blade.