In　recent　years,　the　energy　consumption　problem　in　China　has　become　increasingly　prominent　and　district　heating　systems　have　received　more　and　more　attention　compared　to　distributed　heating　systems.　The　traditional　district　heating　system　has　disadvantages　such　as　high　heat　loss,　high　energy　consumption　and　few　available　heat　sources.　For　this　reason,　fifth-generation　district　heating　systems,　also　known　as　ultra-low　temperature　district　heating　systems,　have　been　developed　and　designed　to　reduce　the　supply　temperature　of　hot　water,　reduce　the　heat　loss　of　the　system,　increase　the　available　low-grade　heat　sources　and　improve　the　performance　of　the　system.　This　paper　reviews　the　literature　on　the　Research　and　development　and　practical　application　of　fifth-generation　district　heating　systems　in　recent　decades　and　elaborates　on　the　research　progress　of　fifth-generation　district　heating　systems,　to　help　relevant　researchers　to　understand　better　and　study　fifth-generation　district　heating　systems　and　to　guide　and　promote　their　energy-efficient　application　in　district　heating.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd