High performance concrete (HPC) is widely used in civil engineering due to its high durability and low permeability etc. Compared with ordinary concrete, HPC may develop much higher AS (autogenous shrinkage) at early age due to the relative low water cement (w/c) ratio and adding of mineral admixtures, which is one of the main reasons for early age micro-cracking of HPC structures. This paper studies the early age property of HPC columns under similar construction-site surroundings by embedded strain transducers. Results show that for HPC structure, early-age autogenous shrinkage especially within the first day after concrete pouring is pretty large. AS within the first day are 60% larger than those for 14 days in this research for all specimens. Therefore it should be taken into account for structure durability. By comparison of PHPC (plain HPC column) and RHPC (reinforced HPC column) specimens, the effects of reinforced bars on AS and temperature distribution have been analyzed. Also the influence of w/c ratio on AS is demonstrated.