92 soil samples were collected from granite, basalt and limestone areas of eastern China and determined for 13 trace element contents. The geographical tendencies of and factors affecting trace element contents in soils were studied.The sequences of soil trace element contents (especially the transitional elements in the 4th period) were: basalt soils > limestone soils > granite soils.The contents of trace elements in soils of granite areas and basalt areas showed great inheritance of trace element contents from the relevant parent rocks. The contents of trace elements in limestones were very low, but they became very high in limestone soils. Trace element contents of soils derived from limestone and basalt’increased significantly from north to south, these tendencies were similar to the tendency of ferric oxide contents in soils.There were differences of contents of trace elements bound to ferric oxide in different kinds of parent material and in different types of soil. The correlations between the co 92 geographical samples were collected from granite, basalt and limestone areas of eastern China and determined for 13 trace element contents. The geographical tendencies of and factors affecting trace element contents in soils were studied. The sequences of soil trace element contents (especially the transitional elements in the 4th period) were: basalt soils> limestone soils> granite soils. contents of trace elements in soils of granite areas and basalt areas showed great inheritance of trace element contents from the relevant parent rocks. The contents of trace elements in limestones were very low, but they became very high in limestone soils. Trace element contents of soils derived from limestone and basalt’increased significantly from north to south, these tendencies were similar to the tendency of ferric oxide contents in soils. Here were differences of contents of trace elements bound to ferric oxide in different kinds of parent material and in different types of soil. The correlati ons between the co