Teramethylpyrazine　(TMP)　is　a　pyrazine　alkaloid　with　a　variety　of　pharmacological　effects　and　widely　used　in　clinical　practice.　In　this　study,　Monascus　strain　M-3　with　high　TMP　and　low　citrinin　productions　was　screened　from　red　yeast　rice　collected　from　different　areas　of　Fujian　province　in　China.　Monascus　strain　M-3　was　further　identified　through　molecular　biological　methods　based　on　the　sequencing　of　different　gene　regions.　Results　showed　that　primer　set　of　β-tubulin-F/β-tubulin-R　targeting　the　β-tubulin　gene　was　more　suitable　for　the　identification　of　Monascus　strain　M-3.　Based　on　comparative　analysis　of　the　results　obtained　by　different　primer　sets,　Monacus　strain　M-3　was　finally　identified　as　Monascus　purpureus.　Then,　the　composition　of　culture　medium　and　liquid　state　fermentation　conditions　of　Monacus　strain　M-3　were　optimized　by　single-factor　experiment　and　central　composite　design　of　response　surface　methodology,　with　the　purpose　of　optimizing　the　TMP　productions.　The　optimum　composition　of　culture　medium　and　liquid　state　fermentation　conditions　are　as　follows:　starch　5.1%,　peptone　3.51%,　Mg2SO4　0.1%,　NaNO3　0.2%,　KH2PO4　0.25%,　fermentation　temperature　of　28.23　°C,　fermentation　time　of　9　d,　shaker　speed　of　180　r/min,　inoculum　size　of　7.21%　and　loading　volume　of　100　mL/250 mL　triangular　flask.　Under　the　optimum　composition　of　culture　medium　and　liquid　state　fermentation　conditions,　the　TMP　production　of　Monacus　strain　M-3　can　reach　13.49　µg/mL.　This　study　is　expected　to　provide　a　new　approach　of　TMP　production　through　biosynthesis　by　Monascus　strain,　and　promote　the　further　development　of　functional　foods　or　medicines　from　Monascus　fermentation　products.　©　2017　The　Author(s).　Published　by　Informa　UK　Limited,　trading　as　Taylor　&　Francis　Group.