With a limited area,podzolie soils in China are only found in the northern part of the Da Hinggan Mts.and in the vertical sequence of mountain lands on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.The podzolic soils which are derived from sandy parent materials and formed under coniferous forests in cool temperate climate with a main soil forming process resulted from the ehelation,eluviation and illuviation of humic acid are characterized by (1) chelation,eluviation and illuviation of humic acids,(2) enrichment of SiO2,(3) strongly acid reaction and eluviation-illuviation of Fe and Al,(4) breakdown and differentiation of clay minerals,and (5) unique mieromorphological features.According to the criteria of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy of U.S.A.,the podzolic soils in China are tentatively sorted into Alfisols under which they are subdivided into two great groups,i.e.Lithic cryoboralf and Classic cryoboralf.The former is spread in the Da Hinggan Mts.north of latitude 500N and the latter is dis9ributed mainly on the Xizang Plateau with an altitude of 4000 m.These soil regions are important production bases of coniferous forests of China,and are of great significance for the development of forestry and the protection of ecological environment.There are some divergences of views on the classification of podzolic soils among in China and other countries and much work remains to be done in this respect.