Contributions and influence of meth anical composition, specific surface, variable and permanent charges, organic matter coptenf and cotnplexing degree and forms of mineral fraction on exclla.nge capciey of light cinnamon soils iri-central Shanxi were studied. Results from path analysis indicate that although the organic matter content was much lower than that of mineral particles in the soil, the effect of organic matter was more-significant-than the mineral fraction of the soils, it was espically so in the soil with lighter mxture.