With　critical　lessons　drawn　from　past　major　earthquakes,　the　engineering　community　is　appealing　for　a　fundamental　shift　in　the　existing　design　philosophy　for　structures　in　seismic　zones.　One　strategy　is　to　endow　structures　with　self-centering　(SC)　capability.　While　the　concept　of　SC　structures　is　not　new,　many　novel　technologies　have　been　recently　emerging　that　are　more　efficient,　compact,　and　cost-effective;　on　the　other　hand,　growing　controversy　and　dispute　have　also　been　appearing　with　deepening　investigations.　This　paper　presents　a　critical　review　of　the　evolution　of　SC　technologies　and　systems　for　both　researchers　and　practitioners,　with　an　emphasis　on　post-tension　(PT),　high-performance　spring,　and　shape　memory　alloy　(SMA)　strategies.　These　SC　technologies,　together　with　various　energy　dissipation　options,　form　the　basis　of　a　large　part　of　the　newly　proposed　SC　philosophies.　This　review　also　includes　typical　SC　structural　members　such　as　beam-to-column　connections,　braces,　dampers,　shear　walls,　bridge　piers,　and　isolation　bearings,　followed　by　a　discussion　on　the　dynamic　behavior　from　a　system-level　point　of　view.　Available　design　approaches　for　SC　structures　are　also　touched　upon,　and　practical　applications　that　have　emerged　over　the　past　decades　in　several　countries　including　Canada,　China,　New　Zealand,　and　the　US　are　presented.　This　paper　concludes　with　an　executive　summary　that　covers　technological　advances,　knowledge　gaps,　and　future　research　directions.