Moisture regime and permeability of four representative red soils, originated respectively from red sandstone, granite, basalt and quaternary red clay in Southeast China, have been studied under the same topographic and climatic conditions. The results show that varying differences exist between the four soils in water-holding capacity and permeability because of differences in soil mechanic composition and soil structure as a result of their difference in parent material. Percolation at all levels of the four soils, except at certain levels of the red soils derived from basalt and red sandstone, does not change with the time. The annual dynamic change in water regime of the four soils can normally be divided into three phases:soil moistening, soil moisture exhausting and soil moisture restoring. But the division varies with the year in length of each phase.