Based on the observation stations data in China from 1961 to 2014, the climatic characteristics of the temperature and precipitation compound extreme events were investigated. Results show that:four events were indicated as warm-wet, warm-dry, cold-wet and cold-dry events. The frequency of warm-wet event and warm-dry event show significant increasing over China and the two events mostly occurs in spring and summer. The frequency of cold-wet events show significant increasing in northeastern Tibet and decreasing in the Yangtze River Basin, and the events frequently occur in summer, autumn and winter. The frequency of cold-dry events has generally decreased, and the events frequently occur in autumn and winter. The EOF results of the four compound extreme events show significant decadal variability. The frequency of extreme wet events has positively correlated with the energy consumption, while vice versa for the extreme dry events.