Abstract: Planktonic foraminifera have been studied quantitatively for cores SA08-34 of the southwestern continental slope of the South China Sea, and sea surface paleotemperature(SST) was estimated by using transfer function FP-12E. The above results, together with ¹⁴C dating and carbonate analysis,have revealed paleoceanographic changes in the southwestern continental slope of the South China Sea since the last glacial. SST varied greatly since the last glacial. The post-glacial SST was estimated to be 24.85~26.23℃ in winter, and 28.81~29.36℃ in summer, with seasonal temperature differences of 2.66~4.47℃. SST fluctuated periodically in the last glacial maximum, and the SST was 23.60~26.86℃ in winter, and 28.45~29.63℃ in summer, with seasonal temperature differences of 2.34~5.09℃. SST was 23.48~27.57℃ in winter, 28.82~29.73℃ in summer and 2.16~5.34℃ in seasonal temperature differences in the MIS 3. Six obvious short-term SST descending events have been recognized in the last glacial. The age of "Younger Dryas" event was estimated at 11.75~12.38 kaBP, and the H1~H4 events were estimated at 15.51~16.76, 21.15~22.40, 26.79~27.42 and 34.31~34.94 kaBP, respectively.