Abstract: In terms of the HadISST dataset and monthly precipitation at the 160 stations of China during 1962-2011, the long-term change in sea surface temperatures (SST) over the marginal seas of China (the Bohai, Yellow, East China and South China Sea) in winter and its relationship with the winter precipitation over the mainland of China are investigated by the methods of regression and correlation. The results show that the winter SST over the marginal seas exhibit significant long-term warming trends in the past 50 years. A pronounced increase in the winter precipitation over the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River is closely related to the long-term trends of this winter SST warming over the marginal seas. Finally, a global general circulation model (CAM5.1) is also employed to simulate the effect of the long-term warming over the marginal seas of China on the precipitation in China. It is found that simulated results are consistent with observations, which further confirms the impact of this long-term change in SST on the precipitation in China.