A special soil group,characterized by a white subsurface and a chayly subsoil,is widely distributed in the east part of the Heilungkiang and Chilin provinces of Northeast China.This soil group has been described previously by some authors as podzolic and soddy-podzolic soils or solodi.A more systematic investigation of the soils by the present authors,both in field and laboratory,comes to the conclusions that the genesis of this soil group is of a hydromorphous bleached process developed periodically under the influence of temporary stagnation of soil water at the surface horizon.The Paichiang soils,according to the denomination of natives,should be regarded as a special group of hydromorphic soils and are tentatively subdevided into three subgroups-the Paichiang soil,the meadow-Paichiane soil and the glei-Paichiang soil.