The concentration, accumulation and distribution of nitrogen (N) in the vegetation of a subtropical monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest (in Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve, Southern China) were studied by examining 21 major species. The total N standing stock and the total annual accumulation in vegetation were 1021 kg ha^-1 and 43 kg ha^-1 yr^-1, respectively, and were unevenly distributed among different species, layers, and plant components. The tree layer contributed 97% to the total standing stock and 90% to the total annual accumulation, and more than half of the standing stock and annual accumulation was composed of four major tree species. In general, N concentrations in plant components of all species were leaves> root> stem. Nitrogen concentration in small roots was significantly higher than in large roots, and N in branches declined linearly with increasing branch diameter. The weighted mean concentration of N in aboveground vegetation was relatively high in this forest compared with some other tropical and subtropical forests, suggesting that N may not be a limiting factor.