Impacts of aboveground herbivores on belowground soil ecosystem have attracted considerable attention by terrestrial ecologists. A factorial experiment, in which rice variety and brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stl) were selected as factors, was conducted to clarify whether the aboveground herbivores and rice varieties interactively affected rice seedling growth and soil labile carbon (C) and nitrogen (N). Soil microbial biomass C and N, dissolved organic C and nitrogen, and mineral N, were measured to assess soil labile C and N. The results indicated that brown planthopper generally decreased aboveground (shoot) and belowground (root) biomass, as well as the root to shoot ratio, depending on rice varieties' capabilities of resisting to brown planthopper. Soil labile C and N fractions were also affected significantly by brown planthopper as well as its interaction with rice variety (P<0.05). In the presence of herbivory, the soil microbial biomass C and dissolved organic C decreased under susceptible rice variety Guangsi, but increased under resistant rice variety IR36. In addition, the brown planthopper generally promoted microbial biomass N, dissolved organic N and nitrate content under resistant rice variety IR36. With herbivory present, distinctly effects on soil labile C and N fractions also existed between the intermediate susceptible rice varieties Shanyou63 and Shanyou559. We found Shanyou63 was close to susceptible variety Guangsi, while Shanyou559 was close to resistant variety IR36. In conclusion, the responsive trends of soil labile C and N fractions to aboveground herbivory rely on rice variety characteristics, with resistant varieties showing more beneficial effects on maintenance of labile C and N, which may consequently promote soil biological activity and cascade up to soil ecological functioning.