Over　the　past　30　years,　water　security　issue　in　Chinese　cities　has　become　increasingly　serious,　largely　due　to　rapid　urbanization,　population　growth　and　disproportionate　investment　in　water　infrastructure.　Urban　rainwater　harvesting　(URWH),　a　household　and　community-level　rainwater　management　measure,　has　been　widely　used　during　this　period.　This　study　provides　a　critical　review　of　the　policies,　methods,　technology,　construction,　implementation　and　benefits　related　to　URWH　in　China.　We　show　that　URWH　in　China　has　gone　through　three　phases　over　the　past　30　years:　an　initial　development　phase,　a　rapid　development　phase　and　a　sponge　city　construction　phase.　URWH　research　has　focused　mainly　on　rainwater　harvesting,　storage,　utilization,　management　and　other　technologies,　with　limited　attention　to　policy　and　benefit　analysis.　However,　the　scale　of　URWH　construction　and　implementation　in　China　remains　small　and　needs　further　development.　Currently,　while　URWH　assessments　cover　social,　ecological　and　environmental　benefits,　the　economic　benefits　need　to　be　further　strengthened.　The　next　step　in　URWH　implementation　should　be　to　strengthen　research　and　development　of　policy,　legal　and　design　standards.　This　study　provides　guidance　for　the　implementation　of　URWH　in　Chinese　cities　and　other　cities　alike　in　developing　countries.