The groundwater system in cold regions is a key factor in hydrological processes,which affect the collection, thawing-freezing and discharge in the land surface processes of cold regions. Permafrost,as the most widely distributed hydrological factor in the cold regions,like a natural water barrier,which controls the groundwater horizontal and vertical movement,recharges and discharges groundwater,and as a cryogenic source changes the thickness of gas zone,the physical properties of water movement and heat transfer. So the permafrost groundwater system has unique characteristics,which is different from the non-frozen soil areas. In recent decades, with the global warming and the increase of human activities ( cold region engineering),the tendency of permafrost degeneration is remarkable,fundamentally changing the hydrogeological conditions in the cold regions and causing significant change in the dynamic characteristics of the groundwater. At the same time,the degradation of permafrost has also changed the storage and transportation conditions of surface water,groundwater and the water conservation function,resulting in a series of deterioration of ecological environment. Because of the hardship in the alpine area and data shortage,there are still many problems to be solved about the groundwater occurrence,distribution and migration in permafrost areas. During the last 10 years,in China,the development and use of coupled heat transport and groundwater models have focused in the groundwater migration and distribution in cold regions,isotope has also been used to analyze runoff components,deep progress has been made in the study of permafrost hydrogeology. In this paper,the current research status of groundwater in permafrost zone in China are summarized and classified,which will be helpful for further studying of cold area groundwater system evolution under climate change and clearing the impact of groundwater on the ecosystems.