Based on the data of monthly mean soil temperature at the depth of 0.8m at 532 stations in 1954—2001,the characteristics of the soil temperature variation in six sub-regions in China are analyzed.The results indicate that in the recent 50 years,the annual mean soil temperature successively experienced a cooling period,a relative cold period and then a warming period.In Northeast China,soil temperature has remarkably increased after 1990s,while in the eastern part of Southwest China,soil temperature exhibited an evident decreasing tend.Around 1980,the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau experienced a climatic jump featured with a dramatic decrease of soil temperature.In every sub-region,the interdecadal variation of soil temperature in winter differs obviously from those of other seasons,while the interannual variation of soil temperature in spring is most distinctive.