In terms of the monthly NCEP/NCAR data and the 160 site temperature data from the National Climate Center (NCC), the main causes of anomalously low surface air temperature in January 2008 over China are investigated on the basis of the possible mechanism of typical episodes occurring in recent 30 years. Results show that the January surface air temperature in 2008 is lower than normal in most part of China, which is linked closely to the teleconnection circulation anomaly associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the jet stream over the North Atlantic. The main circulation causes for the lower temperature is that the jet stream becomes strong and expands to the East Atlantic with positive NAO as a wave train circulation anomaly pattern appearing from the North Atlantic to East Asian area, and higher pressure occurs to the south of Baikal, indicating that the cold air is stronger than normal. The circulation anomalies in the troposphere are influenced by those from the stratosphere. The circulation anomalies in the stratosphere occurred earlier in September 2007 than those in the troposphere appearing in December 2007. And both of them became strongest in January 2008. Anomalous wave fluxes propagate from the wave source in the stratosphere over East Asia downward and westward, and in the upper troposphere over the North Atlantic there is a remarkable convergence of wave fluxes, leading to enhancing of the ridge there with stronger northward heat transportation and the related front zone shifting, and the jet stream anomalously developing and easterly expanding. Thereby anomalous disturbance energy will disperse downwards by wave-flow interaction and induce teleconnection circulation anomalies, resulting in the lower temperature episode of 2008 in China.