Abstract: Addressing the issue of traditional residences' difficulty in satisfying modern livability, this article, based on the research progress of traditional residence modernization in China over the past 20 years, delves into the diverse dimensions of traditional residential design. It systematically reviews domestic research paths and diversified design orientations from four aspects: organic renewal evolving into human-centered functional space exploration, detailed component renewal progressing to the construction method practices of green technology application, cultural expression transitioning from direct transplantation to contemporary translation, and the construction of evaluation methodologies. It is believed that acknowledging the disparities in cognition towards traditional residence modernization across disciplines and research contents, it is imperative to comprehend the realistic contradictions of traditional dwellings and the core demands of residents by meticulously examining research methods with distinct attributes. By establishing the connections between various elements of traditional residence modernization, a more scientific design and implementation planning can be formulated.