The invention provides a construction method and device of a traveling wave cavity high-power carbon dioxide laser, and relates to the field of optical engineering and laser application. The laser comprises a concave mirror, an annular total reflection mirror, a plane output mirror, discharge tubes, water-cooled tubes, positive electrodes, negative electrodes, gas storage chambers, a gas return pipe, discharge tube supports and laser supports. According to the traveling wave cavity high-power carbon dioxide laser, laser beams output from the plane output mirror are distributed symmetrical about a symmetry axis of the laser, and the laser has the advantages of being high in power, good in laser beam quality, compact in structure and small in size and is one of main devices for laser machining. The construction method and device are characterized in that sixteen combined tubes are symmetrically placed on the symmetry axis of the laser, a direct-current power source is used for excitation, and high-power laser light is output under the effect of a traveling wave cavity composed of the concave mirror, the annular total reflection mirror and the plane output mirror. The high-power carbon dioxide laser light can be directly used for laser machining, material processing and the like, and low-power carbon dioxide laser light can be used for laser beautifying, laser surface processing and the like.