The soil series, representing both the concept of a polypedon and the interrelationships existing with a micro-regional landscape, is the most basic taxonomic unit in Chinese soil taxonomy. Research has been conducted related to soil series in recent years especially in the eastern provinces of China and the results have been fruitful including the establishment of criteria used to delineate soil series. Field surveys still need to be conducted and research is needed to establish soil series for all of China. Landscape can be defined as the land cover of an area and includes topography, vegetation, soil and various types of land management. In recent years, landscape ecological classification has been becoming increasingly important. However, research related to the application of landscape classification is relatively rare. A soilscape is the pedological portion of the landscape and soil survey science is a paradigm-based science. Before soil series surveys are conducted, landscape classification of a small area should be carried out so that this information can contribute to a systematic understanding of the landscape. Taking a region in Ningzhen hills, Jiangsu, China, as a sample, we discussed the principles and approaches used for landscape classification for soil series surveying and mapping referring to the theory of landscape ecological classification and the characteristics of soil series. A four-level landscape classification system was built consisting of landscape region, group, subgroup and phase. As one of five main elements that greatly impact the process of soil formation, climate will be commonly more or less uniform throughout the extent of a minor landform such as the sample region; therefore, micro-landform, parent material and patterns of land management were considered as the primary factors influencing the nature of the landscape, along with the combination of these various factors, which are expressed as landscape phases. We then conducted landscape mapping using a GIS (Geographic Information System) and remote sensing data to develop a landscape classification map of studied area at 1:25000. Next, soil series surveys were conducted to verify how useful and reasonable this system is, so that 11 soil series were established and delineated on three types of landforms: hill, hillock and embanked-alluvial plain; then relationships between soil series and corresponding landscape phases were discussed. The results suggest: (1) soil series and some properties related to soil series can be predicted by the corresponding landscape phase, since they were closely correlated with each other. The resulting landscape classification system is conducive to gaining a better understanding of soil-landscape relationships. (2) When this landscape classification system and landscape phases are applied to the practice of soil series surveying and mapping, we should especially focus on the dominant landscape factor that plays a main role in the processes involved in soil formation. (3) The landscape classification system designed and described in this paper can provide a useful reference for soil series surveying and mapping such as the prediction of boundaries of different kinds of soil series as well as the control of the quantity and location of specific soil profiles.