A review is presented of the surface boundary conditions for temperature and salinity of Oceanic General Circulation Models. Responses of oceanic general circulations to different surface boundary conditions are also discussed. Both the strength and weakness of different surface boundary conditions are documented. The most popularly used surface boundary conditions for temperature include Haney (1971) restoring condition, Rahmstorf and Willebrans (1995) restoring condition, Schopf (1983）zero heat capacity condition and flux condition; The widely used surface boundary conditions for salinity include the Haney-type restoring condition, flux condition, and natural condition. The impacts of different surface boundary conditions on the climate mean states and long-term changes of oceanic circulations are discussed. Emphases have been put on the polar halocline catastrophe, flush phenomena, and multi-equilibrium of thermohaline circulation as well as the sensitivity of thermohaline circulation to freshwater forcing. 