Abstract: Drying is a key process which affects the quality and efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine. The product usage and economic value are directly influenced by the drying results. In this paper, the drying technology, drying models and the effective constituent degradation regulation of Chinese herbals were reviewed. As to drying technology, the advantages and disadvantages as well as adaptive of traditional drying methods including shading drying, sun drying and hot air drying and modernly drying methods containing air implement drying, vacuum pulsed drying, medium short-wave infrared drying, and radio-frequency drying were analyzed in detail. In drying model section, the application of theoretical model, semi-theoretical model and empirical model were illustrated. Taking alkaloids, flavonoids, polysaccharides and pigments as the representative indexes of Chinese herbal medicine, the degradation influencing factors and changing regulation were discussed. It is necessary to understand the drying characteristic of the different Chinese herbs drying technology and the degradation regulation of the medicinal component and to establish a suitable drying model, which can provide a theoretical foundation different types of Chinese herbal medicine to choose appropriate drying technology and process.