Thermal　comfort　plays　an　important　role　in　the　urban　living　environment　and　is　not　a　given　to　be　defined　but　a　goal　to　be　sought—the　weather,　human　behaviors,　and　urban　features　(e.g.　vegetation,　buildings,　vehicles　and　pavement)　interact　and　influence　thermal　comfort.　This　study　offers　a　review　of　123　studies　that　investigate　outdoor　thermal　comfort　in　China,　with　a　particular　focus　on　reviewing　the　scope　of　thermal　perception,　thermal　indices,　and　outdoor　thermal　optimization　strategies　in　terms　of　the　underlying　surfaces　and　the　study　parameters.　PET,　PMV,　UTCI,　SET*　are　the　four　most　commonly　used　thermal　comfort　indices.　Greening　strategies,　building　parameters,　pavement　configuration,　air　quality,　and　transportation　affect　the　urban　outdoor　thermal　environment,　thus　influencing　the　behavioral　activities　of　residents,　as　well　as　urban　energy　consumption.　Our　study　is　unique　in　several　aspects.　First,　this　study　reviewed　the　status　quo　of　outdoor　thermal　comfort　studies　in　China.　Second,　science　mapping　was　utilized.　Third,　the　authors　of　this　paper　implemented　a　holistic　and　critical　review　to　provide　a　comprehensive　understanding　of　outdoor　human　thermal　comfort　in　China　and　summarized　the　feasible　optimization　methods.　Moreover,　the　use　of　technical　quantitative　analysis　and　manual　qualitative　review　guarantees　more　reliable　conclusions.　©　2019　Elsevier　Ltd