It is a new topic to build longdistance inclined shafts of coal mines by shield/TBM, which has great significance in shortening the construction period and reducing the construction cost. In this paper, comparison and contrast is made between the conventional mining method and the shield/TBM method in terms of technical indexes and economic indexes, the prospectives of the application of shield/TBM in the construction of longdistance inclined shafts of coal mines are analyzed, and the stateofart of the application of shield/TBM in the construction of inclined shafts is presented. The challenges in the construction of longdistance inclined shafts by shield/TBM are analyzed in terms of selection of proper types of shield/TBM, adaptability of shield/TBM selected, design of inclined shaft lining structure, and construction under complex environment. The results of researches made recently, including the development of dualmode shield/TBM equipment, the establishment of a new type of inclined shaft lining structure, and technologies to cope with difficult conditions under complex environment, are summarized. Finally, problems to be further solved and the trend of studies on these problems are discussed.