A message processing method, characterized by comprising: in response to receiving a first message of an event from a data source, searching for, by a preprocessing node, a processing object among rule instances created by a system, wherein the processing object comprises a rule instance of the first message; establishing, by the preprocessing node, a processing path according to the rule instance, wherein the processing path comprises addressing information of a processing node where the rule instance is located; and in response to determining that there is one processing node, sending, by the preprocessing node, the first message to the processing node according to the processing path so that the first message is processed by using the rule instance; in response to determining that there are a plurality of processing nodes and the first message is sent in a broadcast manner, separately sending, by the preprocessing node in a broadcast manner, the first message to the plurality of processing nodes according to the processing path so that the first message is processed by using the rule instance; and in response to determining that there are a plurality of processing nodes, the first message is sent in a serial distribution manner, and the processing path comprises addressing information of the plurality of processing nodes, sending, by the preprocessing node, a first processing node the first message and addressing information of all processing nodes following the first processing node in the processing path, and processing, by the first processing node, the first message by using a rule instance found on the first processing node; and in response to determining that the first processing node is not a last processing node among the plurality of processing nodes, sending a next processing node the first message and addressing information of all processing nodes following the first processing node in the processing path. in response to receiving a first message of an event from a data source, searching for, by a preprocessing node, a processing object among rule instances created by a system, wherein the processing object comprises a rule instance of the first message; establishing, by the preprocessing node, a processing path according to the rule instance, wherein the processing path comprises addressing information of a processing node where the rule instance is located; and in response to determining that there is one processing node, sending, by the preprocessing node, the first message to the processing node according to the processing path so that the first message is processed by using the rule instance; in response to determining that there are a plurality of processing nodes and the first message is sent in a broadcast manner, separately sending, by the preprocessing node in a broadcast manner, the first message to the plurality of processing nodes according to the processing path so that the first message is processed by using the rule instance; and in response to determining that there are a plurality of processing nodes, the first message is sent in a serial distribution manner, and the processing path comprises addressing information of the plurality of processing nodes, sending, by the preprocessing node, a first processing node the first message and addressing information of all processing nodes following the first processing node in the processing path, and processing, by the first processing node, the first message by using a rule instance found on the first processing node; and in response to determining that the first processing node is not a last processing node among the plurality of processing nodes, sending a next processing node the first message and addressing information of all processing nodes following the first processing node in the processing path.