The COVID-19 pandemic prompts a number of university students to engage in online learning. China is one of the countries that has experienced a radical shift in this sense. Before the pandemic, the online mode of university study was not recognised as a legitimate educational experience in China; thus, a small number of Chinese students engaged in online learning. Subsequently, there was a relatively incomplete understanding of their online learning experiences. Given the exponential expansion of online learning in China since the pandemic, it would be a timely effort to synthesise knowledge on online Chinese students' experiences. For that purpose, the present article presents the results of a systematic literature review of 34 published journal articles concerning Chinese students' online learning journey. The results give a deep insight into Chinese distance higher education from students' perspectives and call for more studies on the implications of relevant policy and cultural dimensions on Chinese students' online learning experiences.