Abstract: The effects of drought and rewatering on the growth and physiological characteristics of Machilus chinensis were studied by pot experiment. The results showed that under the drought stress, the growth of the seedlings has been greatly affected, and the growth of the diameter increased with the time. Seedling roots, stems, leaves and soil natural water content showed a downward trend. The various osmotic adjustment material content in leaf have change, the contents of chlorophyll, carotenoid, and soluble protein were increased first and then decreased. And the content of MDA and proline increased with the increase of stress time. The growth of seedlings after rewatering treatment, the increase of seedling height and the increase of ground diameter were inversely proportional to the intensity of stress. There was a negative correlation between the restoration degree of soil and root natural water content and the degree of damage, the natural water content of stem and leaf, MDA, soluble protein and proline in the leaf were basically restored to normal level, indicating that M.chinensis showed a certain resistance to water stress.