An estimate of about 50% of new liver cancer cases worldwide occur in China every year.Surgical resection is still the major treatment choice for longer survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Blocking hepatic blood flow and reducing intraoperative bleeding ensure the success of the operation. Anatomic separation of hepatic hilar region is the precondition of hepatic inflow occlusion. The hepatic hilar plate system involves a thick layer of connective tissue covering the hepatic inflow ducts of hepatic hilar region. The descending part of hilar plate assists in reducing the anatomical difficulty of the hepatic hilar region. The "forth porta hepatis" that is hidden in the hepatic hilar plate system involves the accumulation area of "short hepatic portal veins" .The communicating branch vessels between the hepatic inflow vessels form the anatomical basis in reducing the indocyanine green fluorescence stain effect.The relatively fixed position of the hepatic portal plate is considered as a positioning marker for accurate liver resection. The intrahepatic Glisson sheath is connected with thick connective tissue of the hepatic portal panel system, and is regarded as the physical barrier in limiting the proliferation and hypertrophy of hepatocytes and continuation of hepatic portal panel system in the liver.This paper summarizes the anatomy and application of hepatic hilar plate system during hepatobiliary surgery.