Abstract: A review of the analyses of papers in forest genetics and tree breeding published from 1949 to 2003, in mainland China during 1949—2003 was carried out. Several databases such as Literature Databases of Silviculture Subject of China, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and The Databases of Science Literatures in Chinese and some important published scientific paper volumes were applied. More than ten thousand papers on the subject of forest genetics and tree breeding were consulted. The papers were analyzed through literature classification. The amount of papers in tree breeding, introduction and breeding, seed production and molecular genetics in tree biology of the last ten years was released. In addition, the development tendency of forest genetics and tree breeding in China and the problems this subject faces are discussed.