Based on 366 literature samples with the theme of “third’line construction” and 35 with the theme of “minor third-line construction” collected in CNKI core journals and CSSCI database from 1992 to 2022, this paper uses the CiteSpace V visualization software for data processing and mapping of scientific knowledge. Through the combination of quantitative and qualitative research, knowledge graph and oral interview, it dynamically reflects the basic status quo, hot spots and trends of the research literature on the third-line construction in China. It was found that the third-line construction research could be divided into three stages: the embryonic stage, the initial stage and the comprehensive development stage, and had become a hot field of China’s modern history; there was close cooperation among the core authors, especially among the mature team on the minor third-line construction; the distribution of research institutions and major journals showed the regional characteristics: they were located chiefly in the political and economic centers of the country, or the key areas of the former third-line both major and minor. It was also found that the study of the third-line construction was characterized by expansion of topic, new vision, diversified methods and so on, opening up a huge field. However, there were obvious problems in the study in macro breakthrough, medium broadening and micro depth. To sum up, the study on third-line construction has a bright future, although there is a long way to go.