The contents of soil organic C (SOC),total N (TN),total P (TP),dissolved N (DN),Olsen-P,and microbial biomass C,N,P (BC,BN,BP) of 254 paddy soils (0-18 cm in depth) in a hilly red soil region of subtropical zone of China were studied.The results showed that the contents of SOC,TN,BC,BN and DN of paddy soils at the bottom of hills were 14.6%,13.6%,24.6%,20.4% and 95.8% higher than those at the foothill,respectively.The Olsen-P content of paddy soils at the foothill was 33.3% higher than that at the bottom of hills.However,the differences in TP,Bp and available P (the sum of Bp and Olsen-P) contents were not significant between the two positions.In addition,the ratios of soil C/P,BC/BP and BC/SOC of paddy soils at the bottom of hills were 12.7%,28.5% and 8.2% higher than those at the foothill,respectively,but the differences in ratios of soil C/N,BC/BN,BN/TN and Bp/TP were not statistically significant between various positions.