It is very important to fully grasp the spatial and temporal variation characteristics of rainfall erosivity in large-scale watershed for soil and water conservation, flood control and disaster reduction, and ecological environment protection. Based on the 57-year daily rainfall data of 119 meteorological stations in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the rainfall erosivity of each station was calculated by Xie model, and the Rotated Empirical Orthogonal Function (REOF) method was used to divide the rainfall erosivity. The spatial and temporal variation characteristics of rainfall erosivity in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River were analyzed by Mann-Kendal test, rescaled range (R / S) method and correlation analysis method, and the relationship between rainfall erosivity and vegetation coverage was revealed. The results show that: (1) the erosive power of rainfall in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River is on an overall upward trend, with an average annual erosive power of rainfall of 5,643MJ·mm·hm-2·h-1. (2) The spatial distribution of rainfall erosivity in different seasons is different. The spatial distribution of rainfall erosivity in the cold season is uneven, and the high value areas are mainly concentrated in the west and northeast of the basin. The rainfall erosivity in the warm season shows a spatial distribution pattern of decreasing along the northwest direction with Jiangxi Province as the center. The maximum and minimum values appear in the Poyang Lake area (Area III) and the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the Taihu River system (Area IV). (3) The change rate of rainfall erosivity in the adjacent geographical divisions of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River is quite different, and the regional difference of rainfall erosivity is significant. Among them, the annual average rainfall erosivity in Area III, Xiangjiang River and Ganjiang River Basin (Area I) and Area IV showed a significant growth trend (P<0.05) and would maintain this trend in the future, which is the key area of soil and water conservation. (4) There is a negative correlation between rainfall erosivity and vegetation coverage in the key areas of soil and water conservation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in this study. However, the notable exception is that Area I shows a positive correlation in the cold season, and there is a significantly positive correlation in the upper reaches of the Xiangjiang River. Studies showed that rainfall erosivity is a key factor influencing surface erosion processes, and that erosive precipitation affects vegetation cover, which in turn affects surface erosion processes. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on the areas with high rainfall erosivity and at the same time strengthen the vegetation protection. The results of the study can provide a scientific basis for soil and water conservation and ecological environmental protection in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Vegetation cover, as an important type of ground cover, can influence the erosion process of the ground surface under high rainfall erosion.