Abstract: By using dilution plate, fumigation extraction, and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) methods, this paper studied the quantities of soil microbial populations and the characteristics of soil microbial community structure in a Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantation converted from an evergreen broadleaved forest. The results showed that, during the vegetation change from evergreen broadleaved forest to Chinese fir plantation, the microbial biomass carbon and the quantities of culturable bacteria and actinomyces were decreased. The total PLFAs, bacterial PLFAs, and fungi PLFAs in the woodland soil from Chinese fir plantation were decreased by 49.4%, 52.4%, 46.6%, simultaneously. And G⁺ and G^- bacterial PLFAs in Chinese fir plantation were lower than in evergreen broadleaved forest. As compared with those in rhizosphere soil from Chinese fir plantation, the microbial biomass carbon and the quantities of culturable bacteria and actinomyces in bulk soil were decreased. The total PLFAs, bacterial PLFAs, and G⁺ and G^- bacterial PLFAs in the rhizosphere soil were increased, while the ratio of fungal to bacterial PLFAs was lowered. The principal component analysis of the soil microbial community structure indicated that the first principal component (PC1) and the second principal component (PC2) together accounted for 78.2% of total variation of soil microbial community structure. This study showed there were some differences in the soil microbial community structure between evergreen broadleaved forest and Chinese fir plantation.