Background　Traditional oxygen therapy maintains normal (even much higher) arterial oxygenation via increasing FiO2 and mechanical ventilation. It is thought that over oxygenation is better than oxygenation deficiency. Furthermore, the individual differences to oxygen response are ignored. despite wide variability between different individuals in terms of oxygen response. Both of them may result in oxygen toxicity and hyperoxemia, and eventually affect the outcomes of critical ill patients.　Objective　To review the recent research advances of goal-oriented oxygenation management in basic theories and clinical applications and provide theoretical support for further study and discussion.　Content　To elucidate the mechanisms of hypoxic tolerance and the potential risks of hyperoxemia in critical ill patientsand further explore the basic theories and application prospect of permissive hypoxemia(PH) clinical importance of precise control of arterial oxygenation(PCAO), and target fractional inspired oxygen concentration. Some useful tissue oxygenation monitoring methods are also introduced.　Trend　Goal oriented oxygenate management is aiming to further reduce the side effects of oxygen therapy, and it may provide a new direction for oxygen therapy in critical ill patients. However, further studies are still needed to confirm its safety and efficacy.