Abstract：The strength or effective elastic thickness (Te) of the lithosphere controls its response to long-term loading, its evolution process and spatial configuration, and contains abundant geodynamic information, holding great scientific significance for the interpretation of mechanical properties, dynamic processes and mechanisms of the crust, lithosphere and even the mantle medium.We review the development of lithospheric strength research from the concept of equilibrium to the present, focusing on the historical dimension, combing the evolution of lithospheric strength research and the logical relationship between the development of various methods. The coupling between lithospheric strength and crust-mantle, effective elastic thickness of lithosphere and thickness of seismogenic layer, and anisotropy of effective elastic thickness of lithosphere are preliminarily discussed.
