Abstract: Due to the anthropogenic activities, such as industrial wastewater discharge and the direct use of sea and brackish water as secondary quality water, sewage with sulfate concentrations around 50-500 mg/L can be formed. Sulfide and polymeric sulfur compound (poly-S), as the main reduction products of sulfate under anaerobic conditions, have important effects on enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) system. This work aims to review the effects and act mechanisms of sulfide on the conventional enhanced biological phosphorus removal (CEBPR) process, the creation and characteristics of the sulfur cycle-associated enhanced biological phosphorus removal (S-EBPR) system, and the functions of poly-S in S-EBPR system. It is found that, sulfur compounds and poly-S are important for the biological phosphorus removal process with the synergistic participation of sulfur cycle, and proper regulation of operating conditions may further enhance the performance of EBPR for treating the sulfur-containing wastewater. The shortcomings of the current researches and the research directions in the future are also put forward. It is intended to provide theoretical foundations for securing satisfactory EBPR performance and the treatment of low ρ(C)/ρ(P) ratio and sulfur-containing wastewater.