Abstract: In order to explore the mechanism of micro-hollow cathode discharge, the temporal and spatial characteristics of rectangular micro-hollow cathode discharge at 1.3 104 Pa are investigated using a two-dimensional fluid model. The current, electric potential, electric field, charged particle density and mean electron energy are calculated temporally. The results show that the whole discharge consists of four stages, the pre-discharge stage, the transition stage from axial electric field to radial electric field, the transition stage to the hollow cathode effect and the stable discharge stage. Hollow cathode effect exists at the stable stage. Strong electric field and high mean electron energy exist in the cathode fall while high density and quasi-neutral plasma in the negative glow. The peak value of electron density can achieve 1014 cm-3, and the electron temperature levels range from several eV to tens of eV.