The invention provides a DC energy absorption device and method for defending a receiving end fault of a DC power transmission system. The device is connected in series to the DC power transmission system and comprises a plurality of current-limiting resistance units sequentially connected in series. The method comprises the following steps of taking number and resistance values of the current-limiting resistance units; and determining a protection level parameter of a circuit protection lighting arrester and the number of the current-limiting resistance units put into the DC energy absorption device. With the device and the method, proposed by the invention, the problem of DC current increase in the DC power transmission system after commutation failure of an inverter is effectively prevented; the input groups of current-limiting resistors are selected according to the fault degree after commutation failure of the inverter, and the disturbance of the current-limiting resistors on the DC system can be reduced to the greatest extent; and power transmission of a rectification side during the fault period after commutation failure of the inverter in the DC power transmission system is ensured, the disturbance of an AC power grid of the rectification side caused by reducing DC power is avoided, and the running stability of the DC power transmission system is effectively and reliably improved.