Abstract: Forest culture is generated-in the process of human's understanding, cultivation and exploitation of the forest. It is both the generalization of the relationship between people and the forest and the norm that guides the relation between human and the forest. It has great significance to the construction of beautiful China. In this paper, the authors introduce the contents of the relatively complete system of forest culture in China which has been formed in its thousands of years'of history based on a literature study and the authors'insights. In forest culture , the human settlement activities play a principal part, that is, food, clothing, shelter, travel and so on all reflect forest culture. Human settlement can not exist without the forest, and forest culture infiltrates in all human activities. The use of forest and its products brings to human material and spiritual enjoyment, while these human activities also fully embodies China's cultural characteristics and humanity spirit. The research on the selection and cultural characteristics of courtyard trees is conducive to better selection of tree species, forest cultivation and protection, harmonious relation between the human and the nature, the development of forest culture, the construction of ecological civilization, and the creation of beautiful and harmonious living environment.