Alpine and sub-alpine shrubs, distributed beyond tree line or on south-facing slope, are relatively stable community in western Sichuan. Their community component, biomass have been studied, however, very few were reported for the water holding capacity of surface cover and soil in those shrubs. We measured the cumulated mass (CM, t/hm2) of moss and litters, along with their maximal water holding capacity (MWHC, t/hm2) and maximal water holding rate (MWHR,%), in three main types of shrub at different elevations in western Sichuan. The physical characteristics of water in the soil included soil bulk density, MWHC, capillary water holding capacity (CWHC) and least water holding capacity (LWHC) were also measured by soaking and discharging experiments with samples of soil from different soil depths in all studied communities. The result showed that water holding capacity of Rhododendron przewalskii shrub is highest in three types. Average MWHC of moss, litters and soil in depth of 0-40 cm among different elevation are 46.73, 139.98 t/hm² and 2216.92 t/hm² relatively in R. przewalskii shrub; 1.64, 72.08, 2114.88 t/hm² in Quercus aquifolioides shrub; no mass and average MWHC of litters and soil in depth of 0～40 cm among different elevation are 84.55 t/hm² and 2062.83 t/hm² in Quercus cocciferoides shrub. The CM and MWHC of moss decreased significantly with increasing elevation in R. przewalskii shrub, increased significantly at first and then decreased with increasing elevation and reach the maximum at 3400m in Q. aquifolioides shrub. MWHR of moss in the former is higher than that in the later. The CM and MWHC of litters decreased with the increment of elevation in R. przewalskii and Q. aquifolioides shrub, increased in Q. cocciferoides shrub. Soil bulk density increased and MWHC decreased significantly with the increasing soil depth in all communities, but CWHC and LWHC decreased significantly only in some of communities. The MWHC in 0～40cm of soil decreased significantly with the increment of elevation in R. przewalskii shrub and was not significantly different among communities with different elevation in the other two types.