To understand the spatial variability and influencing factors of soil properties developed from parent materials of red bed, taking Zhejiang Province as an example, the distribution, formation features and genetic characteristics of soils developed from parent materials of red bed in the subtropical region were examined, and the effects of paleoenvironment of red bed formation, modern topography and land-use mode on the physical and chemical properties of the soils were analyzed, and the classification of the soils was discussed. The results showed that the distribution of soils developed from parent materials of red bed was determined by the geological structure. The formation of the soils on red bed was a result of balance between physical weathering and surface erosion, while chemical weathering and decalcification led to soil acidification. The soils developed from parent materials of red bed tended to be juvenile, which was the common result of the special weathering characteristics of the parent material and the short soil forming time. The paleoenvironment of red bed formation had a profound impact on the material composition of the soils, and the modern topography affected the stage of soil development, and the land-use mode could change the vertical development of the soils. The color of soils developed from parent materials of red bed was not generally believed to always retain the color of the parent materials. In some cases, the former was different from the latter. Due to the complexity of red bed genesis and the diversity of material composition, the soils developed from parent materials of red bed were far more complex and changeable than generally believed. According to the “Chinese soil classification system”, the soils developed from parent materials of red bed in Zhejiang Province were only classified as purple soil group, and divided into calcareous purple soil and acid purple soil subgroups, which could not well reflect the changeable characteristics of soils developed from parent materials of red bed. According to the diagnostic horizons and diagnostic characteristics of “Chinese soil taxonomy”, the soils developed from parent materials of red bed in Zhejiang Province could be divided into two soil orders (Cambosols and Primosols), two suborders (Udic Cambosols and Orthic Primosols), seven soil groups and fourteen subgroups.