Abstract: Purpose/Significance As the crop with the longest planting history, widest planting area, and highest yield in hilly and mountainous areas, the improvement of the comprehensive mechanization level of rice cultivation and harvesting is of great significance for promoting the comprehensive and high-quality development of agricultural mechanization throughout the entire hilly and mountainous area. Research Progress This study takes the key technology of rice mechanization in hilly and mountainous areas as the "cutting point", and based on the characteristics of hilly and mountainous areas in China and the current development status of rice mechanization in hilly and mountainous areas, conducts a technological frontier and trend analysis around the production mechanization of rice tillage, planting, harvesting and other main links, analyzes the gap in research and development of rice mechanization technology and equipment at home and abroad, explores the challenges faced by the development of rice mechanization in hilly and mountainous areas in China under different links, and looks forward to the future development trend of rice mechanization in hilly and mountainous areas, in order to provide new ideas and directions for promoting the overall mechanization level of rice production, filling the gaps in the development of agricultural mechanization in hilly and mountainous areas, and building a modern agricultural power. Conclusion/Outlook This study proposes that in 2022, the comprehensive mechanization rate of rice cultivation and harvesting in hilly and mountainous areas of China will be 80.80%, and the development will be unbalanced and insufficient among different links and regions; 2) Compared with advanced countries, the research and application of rice cultivation and harvesting machinery in China started relatively late, with a weak foundation and low comprehensive performance of products. Especially, there is a relative shortage of lightweight, efficient, and highly stable rice cultivation and harvesting machinery for hilly and mountainous areas. Key technologies such as engine high-power low emission design and manufacturing technology, tool wear resistance and consumption reduction optimization design technology, and frame lightweight design technology still need to be further overcome; 3) Lightweight, intelligent, and green technologies are the future directions and trends for the development of rice production equipment in hilly and mountainous areas of China.