Organic-rich shale is an important research object in the field of unconventional oil and gas. Revealing the pore evolution characteristics of organic-rich shale is of great significance for figuring out the mechanism of shale oil and gas accumulation, which can also provide parameters for shale oil and gas resources evaluation and exploration and development. Combined with scanning electron microscopy, gas adsorption and high pressure mercury injection techniques, thermal simulation experiment can be applied to the study of pore evolution of organic-rich shale. Compared with open system and closed system, the design of the semi-closed and semi-open experimental system proves to be closer to the underground real geological process, which is more suitable for the study of pore evolution.The pore evolution of organic-rich shale is the result of long-term interaction of organic matter and minerals under the conditions of high temperature, high pressure and fluids. Based on the premise of thermal simulation experiments, this paper summarizes pore evolution characteristics (organic pores and inorganic pores), the controlling factors of pore evolution (organic hydrocarbon generation, mineral transformation and compaction) and pore evolution model. Although the thermal simulation experiment has realized the study of the whole pore evolution stage of the same shale sample, the study of pore evolution is still not systematical enough. The problem is that the shale sample is easily broken under the high temperature and high pressure conditions of the thermal simulation experiment, resulting the difficulties in sample preparation. Then it is difficult to simulate the process of underground diagenesis and hydrocarbon generation in the thermal simulation experiment. Due to the high cost of the thermal simulation experiment, it can not be carried out in large quantities, and the data of sample and pore related parameters gained are not enough. How to systematically study the pore evolution of organic-rich shale should be the focus of future attention and research.