Abstract: Rock slopes with soft interlayer are common in nature and engineering projects. They are usually the characteristic of poor stability and low safety level. Landslides that induced by the instability and destruction of rock slopes with soft interlayer have caused a large number of casualties and heavy economic losses around the world. Therefore,the stability of rock slopes containing soft interlayer is one of important research topic in engineering geology and geotechnical engineering. This paper is based on the collection and review of the domestic and foreign literatures related to the stability of rock slopes with soft interlayer. It summarizes the advances of some important aspects on the research current situations and progress of rock slope stability in the aspect of gravity load conditions,excavation conditions,heavy rain and reservoir storage conditions,and earthquake conditions. The findings are as follows. (1)The presence of a soft interlayer usually plays an adverse role in slope stability. The stability is poorer for rock slopes with soft interlayer than for homogeneous rock slopes and layered rock slopes without soft interlayer. (2)The stability and deformation failure mechanism of rock slopes containing soft interlayer are linked to the water content,shear strength,dip angles,thickness,the number of layers,intervals of soft interlayer and the slope angles. (3)Slope failure can easily occur along soft interlayer after the completion of slope excavation without support. When excavation with supporting in time,the stability of slopes can be effectively controlled. (4)Lamination effect caused by blasting changes the contact state between soft interlayer and surrounding rock and decreases the cohesion and friction of contact interfaces,thus decreases the stability of rock slopes. (5)Heavy rainfall and reservoir impoundment are both against the stability of rock slopes with soft interlayer. (6)The dynamic responses,deformation and failure process of rock slopes with soft interlayer under earthquakes are related to the property of soft interlayer(thickness,dip angle and water content),the characteristics of seismic wave(wave types,vibration intensity and frequency of earthquake waves,loading direction) and slope structure(bedding and counter-tilt rock slopes with soft interlayer). (7)The amplification or weakening effect of soft interlayer on the horizontal dynamic responses of rock slopes under earthquake and the role of thick soft interlayer in energy dissipation and shock absorption during shakings are not unified. Subsequently,on this basis,the advantages and disadvantages of research methods are analyzed in detail. Furthermore,the main problems existing in current research are also discussed. Finally,on account of research status in this field,some important research emphases and directions in the future are proposed. The contents are listed as follows: the progressive failure process and stability of rock slopes with multi-soft interlayer; the effect mechanism of individual factors(including excavation unloading,blasting,earthquake,heavy rain,the change of reservoir water levels,underground water) on the stability of rock slopes with soft interlayer; the stability of rock slopes with multi-soft interlayer under multi-factor coupling participation; and the reinforcement mechanism of retaining structural system for rock slopes with multi-soft interlayer.