This review is intended to be a fundamental lecture. It focuses on systematically introducing the reader to the physical and optical background to certain basic concepts in nanoplasmonics, before devoting attention to the many new developments at the frontiers of modern photonics, such as tuneable nanoplasmonics. There is a special discussion of the advantages and applications of liquid crystals in this area. First, in optics according to the special requirements of an optical surface wave propagating alone a smooth boundary the concept of surface plasmon polariton (SPP) has been introduced from physics. After discussing the influences from more rough surfaces upon the SPP and the response from larger metallic particles to the optical electro-magnetic waves the results from interaction between the optical waves and metallic particles with dimensions much small than the wavelength of the optical waves-the exist of the local surface plasmon polariton, i.e. the base of nanoplasmonics, has been confirmed. Secondly, this review describes many new and interesting aspects from this important branch at the frontiers of modern photonics-nanoplasmonics, which are supported by metamaterials consisting of metallic particles with various shapes and nano-scale size from modern manufacture technologies and more powerful and functional software. Many device system based upon these aspects have broken through the limitations of classical optics and developed in many special new directions, for example the quantum coincidence of lasers-Spaser (surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) etc. Finally, we address tuneable nanoplasmonics, which is a very important topic that has warranted great attention. by reason of liquid crystals’ many special advantages in optical responses-for example their larger optical birefringence, which can be easily modulated by applying electric and/or magnetic fields etc.-the application of liquid crystals in tuneable nanoplasmonic devices is a more practical research direction. This review introduces recent developments in this area, and also discusses various challenges and possible research topics.