Mapping is one best mean to visually display spatial patterns of ecosystem services, and has become an important method for determining significant targets and regions of ecological protection. This paper analyzes the objectives, principles, processes and methods for mapping distribution of ecosystem services in terms of cartography theory and related national or industrial standards for mapping. Taking a distribution map of soil retention service at 1:250000 scale in Yanqing District as a case study, the key mapping issues such as determination of geographic bases of the map, selection of natural and social geographic elements, and classification of soil conservation capacity are analyzed. Further, the specification of soil retention distribution maps at county scale is proposed. The results show that the map of soil retention service complied with the above method displays the distribution patterns of soil retention service, and reflects the spatial connection between soil retention service and geographical elements. Also, it helps to identify ecologically important areas with detailed and truthful information on the map. Thus, our study can provide important technical means for locally ecological environmental protection planning.