Abstract: Reviewing the development of hernia and abdominal wall surgery, at the begin-ning, they were only used in simple repair, effects of which were unsatisfactory. Hernia treatment has made a milestone progress with the development of repair materials. Repair materials (Mesh patches) have been applied to various types of abdominal hernia. As surgeons gradually realized the importance of abdominal wall layer in the treatment of abdominal wall defects, they began to pay attention to abdominal wall reconstruction, and applied repair materials to reinforce the abdominal wall, so that the treatment of abdominal wall dysfunction (huge incisional hernia and complex abdominal hernia) has made great progress. Subsequently, surgeons and scientists put forward a new concept "functional repair of the abdominal wall" for the repair of abdominal hernia. An ideal functional repair can restore the function of the abdominal wall, and ultimately achieve the unity of structure and function. The authors discuss the development of the treatment of abdominal hernia from repair, reconstruction to functional restoration.