Compatibility of herbal property is an important part of Chinese materia medica compatibility theory and an effective way to guide the clinical use of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） by the nature of Chinese materia medica.It is of great significance to trace the origin of the theory of herbal property compatibility and to dig it up for the purpose of inheriting and developing the theory of TCM and thus to improve the clinical diagnosis and treatment effect of TCM.Taking the clinically extensively applied and deeply studied sour and sweet herbal compatibility

on the basis of the concept origin

historical evolution

and connotation and essence

the clinical applications of sour combined with sweet to increase fluid

moisten the dryness thus to quench thirst

to motivate spleen

benefit the yin thus to relieve diarrhea

and to drain with purgation to relax bowels were discussed.Additionally

the modern study of sour and sweet compatibility was summarized in two aspects of basic research and clinical application.This paper put forward the difficult problems and issues in terms of the study of sour and sweet compatibility

the research fields that should be paid attention to in the future

and the corresponding scientific research ideas.