This mini-review paper based on the ISI Web of Science database and employed the literature retrieval metrology in combination with inventory of qualitative data and summarized the effects of biochar on soil nitrogen cycling. Based on the effects of biochar on soil nitrogen cycling and searching of branch topics, data arrangement, paper classification and topics analysis, this paper gave a detailed overview of research progress of biochar effect on soil nitrogen cycling overall international research status as well as in different branch topics both in China and abroad. The main aspects included were:biochar effect on N₂O emission, nitrogen use efficiency, nitrification rates, adsorption of soil inorganic nitrogen (ammonium/ammonia and nitrate) and nitrogen retention by microbes. Nowadays, the developments of effects of biochar on soil nitrogen cycling were quickly and the number of published papers were also increased. ISI Web of Science database were used as a basis to retrieve the Scientific Citation Indexed (SCI) papers and a total of 2468 SCI articles were published until June 2014, including articles (2188), review papers (93) and others (177). The European and America countries such as America, Canada and Britain occupied the obvious advantages in this researching field and China has become the first country to published papers in this field since 2010. Meanwhile, the papers mainly focused on effects of biochar on soil N₂O emission and nitrogen use efficiency, accounting for 73.7% of the total number. From the perspective of the above six branches, it is controversial about the effects of biochar on them. Most of the reports indicated that biochar could inhibit soil N₂O emission, and improve the nitrogen use efficiency, the soil nitrification rate, the retention of NH₄⁺/NH₃/NO₃^- and soil nitrogen assimilation by microbes. However, some contrary studies suggested that biochar could increase soil N₂O emission, inhibit soil nitrification rate and have no ability to adsorb NO₃^-. Biochar type, biochar aging, soil type and soil water porosity were the main factors affecting the influence of biochar on soil nitrogen cycling. This paper discussed the dynamic and hot pots together with some main conclusions of biochar affecting soil nitrogen cycling comprehensively. It sheds lights on a better understanding of mechanisms of biochar effects on soil physiochemical properties. Moreover, it provides some certain references to agriculture application for biochar.