With　the　rapid　development　of　offshore　wind　power,　which　serves　the　national　“dual-carbon”　strategy　goal,　the　problem　of　creeping　discharge　induced　by　special　operating　environments　such　as　high　humidity,　high　salt　spray,　heavy　fouling,　and　easy　condensation　has　brought　great　challenges　to　the　operational　reliability　of　electrical　equipment.　We　firstly　clarify　the　necessity　of　studying　the　creeping　discharge　of　wet-dirty　insulating　materials,　and　introduce　four　macroscopic　physical　processes　of　creeping　discharge　of　wet-dirty　insulating　materials　in　detail.　Then,　we　analyze　the　current　research　status　of　the　coupling　process　of　condensation　phase　change　and　local　arc　on　the　surface　of　wet-dirty　insulating　materials,　and　summarize　the　mechanisms　of　drop　condensation,　electric-thermal-optical-plasma　effect　of　creeping　discharge,　coupling　mechanism　of　condensation　phase　change　and　creeping　discharge,　respectively.　Finally,　in　view　of　the　shortcomings　of　the　existing　research,　we　put　forward　the　prospects　in　the　research　focus,　technical　difficulties　and　development　trend　of　creeping　discharge　of　wet-dirty　insulating　materials.The　content　of　this　paper　helps　to　reveal　the　coupling　mechanism　between　condensation　phase　transition　and　multi-effect　synergistic　process　of　creeping　discharge　on　the　surface　of　wet-dirty　insulating　materials,　which　can　provide　basic　theoretical　support　for　the　construction　of　a　model　of　creeping　discharge　of　wet-dirty　insulating　materials　applicable　to　engineering　practice.　©　2023　Science　Press.　All　rights　reserved.