Alfisols are important soils in China. They occupy about 1.25 million km² or about 13% of the land area. Dark brown forest soils, burozems, yellow-brown earths, and drab soils in temperate China are identified as four major great soil groups. According to the criteria given by soil Taxonomy, these soils should belong to Alfisols. Additionally, Baijiang soil is identified as a special kind of Alfisols, probably Albaqualfs. These are mostly forested soils with a return of organic matter, estimated at 5-13t/ha/yr, to the soils from a mixed temperate forest. In terms of elemental bio-cycling Ca is prominent.In a comparison of 30 profiles, the average rate of clay (B/A) was 1.47 for cryoboralfs and Eutroboralfs: 1.88 for Hapludalfs and 2.53 for Paleudalfs. From Eutroboralfs to Paleudalfs there was a difference of 7 times in the average gain (or loss) in clay during soil development. Hapludalfs, Cryoboralf and associated Cryaquepts differ considerably in the moisture regimes, but the amount of water is always enough to cause a significant leaching. During the weathering and pedogenetic processes-TiO₂, Mgo and Fe₂O₃ are accumulated, respectively, in both A and Bt horizons; But SiO₂ and Al₂O₃, tend to be leached from the solum.