Soil is the base of agricultural production,the keystone that Manrelies on for survival,and the guarantee of food and ecological environmental safety for human beings. With rapid development of the modern science and technology and national socio-economy,the strategic position and functions of soil are undergoing some changes. Proceeding from the relationship between the demand of the development of the national socio-economy and the soil and soil science,the paper points out that the knowledge about the importance of soil has gradually been turning from agricultural production to environmental safety,resource exp loitation,ecological health and global change. At the same time,the paper specifies connotation of the modern soil science,and strategic ideology of the innovative modern soil science,and also comprehensively,systematically and forward-lookingly describes research frontier and characteristics and challenges and prospects in the future of the modern soil science,thus enlightening the direction of development for the modern soil science of China.