Smart　materials　and　structures　have　attracted　a　significant　amount　of　attention　for　their　vibration　control　potential　in　engineering　applications.　Compared　to　the　traditional　active　technique,　shunt　damping　utilizes　an　external　circuit　across　the　terminals　of　smart　structure　based　transducers　to　realize　vibration　control.　Transducers　can　simultaneously　serve　as　an　actuator　and　a　sensor.　Such　unique　advantage　offers　a　great　potential　for　designing　sensorless　devices　to　be　used　in　structural　vibration　control　and　reduction　engineering.　The　present　literature　combines　piezoelectric　shunt　damping　(PSD)　and　electromagnetic　shunt　damping　(EMSD),　establishes　a　unified　governing　equation　of　PSD　and　EMSD,　and　reports　the　unique　vibration　control　performance　of　these　shunts.　The　schematic　of　shunt　circuits　is　given　and　demonstrated,　and　some　common　control　principles　and　equations　of　these　shunts　are　summarized.　Finally,　challenges　and　perspective　of　the　shunt　damping　technology