Based on the daily mean temperature data from 753 stations in China during 1960 and 2013,the extreme cooling events in eastern China during winter monsoon period was defined and its temporal and spatial characteristics were studied.Results showed that extreme cooling events occurred most frequently in the south of Northeast China,most part of North China and the north of Middle China while it seldom occurred in the south of Middle China.In the past 53 winter monsoon periods,extreme cooling events in eastern China were generally decreasing and the decreasing trends were most obvious in the south of Northeast China,southern and eastern parts of North China,northern parts of Middle China and East China at a rate of 0.4-0.8 times per decade.In addition,the frequencies of extreme cooling events in Northeast China,North China,and Middle China experienced sudden decreases in 1980,1973 and 1969,respectively.A spatial difference in the average intensities of extreme cooling events was also found out with a strong-weak-strong pattern from north to south.These results are helpful to deepen our understanding of the characteristics of extreme cooling events in China in recent decades and to provide a scientific basis for decision-making of chilling injury prevention.