The invention discloses a traffic grooming and distinction importance protection method based on clustering, and belongs to the technical field of communication networks. The method includes the following steps that a network is divided into clusters, and services in the clusters are directly groomed through a layered auxiliary picture; the shortest paths between the clusters are looked for by means of a cluster convergence layer for the services between the clusters and then are mapped onto the layered auxiliary picture for grooming; according to the situation of multiple priority services in an independent wavelength after grooming, importance of wavelength links is distinguished; by means of an intelligent telescopic P ring, grading protection is effectively carried out. By means of the method, dynamic services are quickly and efficiently groomed, and the utilization rate of network resources is greatly improved; meanwhile, different service quality guarantees are achieved through distinction of the importance of the link wavelengths, the situation that resources are seriously wasted due to the fact that the services are protected one by one in a traditional method is avoided by means of P-Cycle comprehensive protection, arriving and leaving of the services can be perceived, the P ring is dynamically extended and retracted, current network intelligent requirements are met, protection resource cost is greatly reduced, and the network capacity of bearing the services is improved.