The relationship between previous winter and springtime soil moisture and summer climate in the eastern China is investigated with the retrieved monthly soil moisture data of 139 stations and the precipitation and temperature observations of 160 stations over China from 1951 to 1999. The results show that there exists one or twoseason lagged positive correlation between soil moisture in spring or previous winter and summer rainfall in the regions south of the Huanghe River valley, and negative correlation in the regions north of the Huanghe River valley. The relationship is quite different in different regions. The significant twoseason lagged correlation exists in the YunnanGuizhou Plateau, Central China and North China. The oneseason lagged correlation is not significant, except over the YunnanGuizhou Plateau, where summer climate is sensitive to spring soil moisture.