A newly developed hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) technique can be used forthe determination of the hyperpolarizability value of nonlinear molecules in solution or gas. The HRS signal can reflect both the intrinsic molecular properties and the intermolecular interactions. In this paper, the history, theory, research significance of the HRS technique and the current studies of the authors arepresented. The HRS experimental set-up and the analysis method are described and the advantages of the HRS over the classical EFISHG (electric field induced second-harmonic generation) technique are also summarized.