To investigate the response of subtropical forests to increased nitrogen deposition a field experiment was conducted in Chinese fir plantation involving four N treatments designated as N0 (control), N1, N2 and N3 at the doses of 0, 60, 120 and 240 kg N hm^-2 a^-1, respectively. Based on three years of manipulation, medium to high N loads (N2, N3) increased average annual increment of diameter at breast height (DBH), but low N (N1) produced no significant effects. Nitrogen deposition also had a positive effect on tree height, but the increment magnitude decreased with the increasing N additions. The stand volume, calculated from binary tree volume equation, responded positively to N treatments, with a minor gain in N1, an annual gain of 3.81 m³ hm^-2 stemwood in N2 and 4.86 m³ hm^-2 stemwood in excess of the control (N0) in N3, although no significant difference statistically existing between treatments. The soil NH₄⁺-N and NO₃^--N increased, but pH values and the contents of organic matter, available P and K, exchangeable Ca and Mg decreased with the increasing N additions. Nutrient status of the needles exhibited similar sensitivity to N treatments, N1, N2 and N3 increased N concentrations in the leaves by 18.25%, 11.68% and 13.14%, respectively, but reduced to some extents the contents of P, K, Ca and Mg.