In this paper, the water holding capacity and color of Tan sheep were investigated under various storage temperatures. The postmortem Tan sheep preservation at 0～4 ℃ and 15 ℃, dynamic of pH, cooking loss, water holding capacity, dropping loss and meat color were measured at 1～7 d during preservation. The research results indicated that Tan sheep muscle which were preserved at 15 ℃ had fast decreasing speed of pH value, rapid speed of water holding capacity rally and worse meat color. Cooking loss of Tan sheep at 0～4 ℃ showed no significant differences from 15 ℃（P>0.05), dripping loss, water holding capacity, L*-value, and a*-value changes of Tan sheep during storage at 0～4 ℃were more significant than storage at 15 ℃(P<0.05). A positively significant correlation of pH with water holding capacity, and a negatively significant correlation with cooking loss , dripping loss and a*-value found for the 0～4 ℃. Cooking loss positively significant correlation with a*-value. Dripping loss has positively significant correlation with L*-value and a*-value. And water holding capacity has negatively significant correlation with a*-value. Therefore, storage temperature affected considerably the water holding capacity of muscles of Tan sheep. As storage time prolonged, Tan sheep presented changes in cooking loss, water holding capacity, drip loss and color, and the water holding capacity and color varied significantly depending on the pH.