With the development of aviation industry, more and more requirements are submitted during the design of civil and military aero-engines, such as higher thrust-weight ratio, lower fuel consumption, more affordability, etc. The counter-rotating turbine technology provides a powerful solution for the problems. The relevant literatures are reviewed from the aspects of velocity triangle parametric analyses, aerodynamic design criteria, internal flow mechanisms, shockwave control methods, and design techniques of convergent-divergent airfoils, respectively. By combining literature review with the research carried out in many years by authors, the characteristics of counter-rotating turbine are analyzed. However some challenges are also encountered when the counter-rotation turbine technology is applied to the aero-engines. These challenges in terms of processing technology, structural strength, heat transfer/cooling as well as their possible solutions are considered. Finally, the development trends of the technology are predicted.