The　atmospheric　environmental　capacity　has　become　a　hot　topic　in　air　quality　management　studies　in　China,　since　it　plays　an　important　role　in　supporting　the　design　and　implementation　of　air　pollution　control　measures.　By　studying　the　literature　and　summarizing　the　relevant　practical　work　in　this　field　at　country,　region　and　city　levels,　we　systematically　reviewed　the　development　of　atmospheric　environment　capacity　theory　and　the　methods　used　to　quantify　the　capacity.　The　concept　of　atmospheric　environment　capacity　and　its　natural,　social　and　resource　characteristics　were　analyzed.　The　pattern　of　development　of　the　theoretical　research　as　well　as　the　practices　of　measuring　atmospheric　environmental　capacity　are　summarized　in　four　stages　with　consideration　of　the　major　air　pollution　challenges　and　atmospheric　pollution　management　modes.　The　theory　of　the　atmospheric　environmental　capacity　as　well　as　the　advantages　and　disadvantages　of　different　quantification　methods,　including　the　A　value　method,　linear　optimization　method　and　model　simulation　method,　were　analyzed　considering　the　major　air　pollution　challenges　to　address,　including　coal-burning　pollution,　acid　rain　pollution　and　complex　air　pollution.　The　conclusion　is　drawn　that　the　model　simulation　method　is　able　to　take　account　of　the　influence　of　natural　factors　and　human　factors　and　is　a　better　choice　for　quantifying　atmospheric　environmental　capacity　when　PM　2.5　and　O　3　pollution　control　is　the　target.　It　is　suggested　that　research　be　strengthened　in　the　following　aspects:　(1)　Methods　for　quantifying　the　atmospheric　environmental　capacity　constrained　by　multi-pollutant　targets;　(2)　Methods　for　quantifying　the　atmospheric　environmental　capacity　for　typical　heavy　pollution　episodes;　(3)　Methods　for　quantifying　the　coupling　of　the　atmospheric　environmental　capacity　with　various　factors　such　as　air　quality,　health　damage,　ecological　damage,　and　climate　change.　©　2018,　Editorial　Board,　Research　of　Environmental　Sciences.　All　right　reserved.