This survey was conducted to investigate the distribution of heavy metal contents in medicinal plants and soils. Plant and soil samples were collected at 254 sites(Angelica gigas : 81, Astragalus membranceus : 38, Platycodn glandiflorum : 36, Paeonia albilora : 34, Codonopsis lanoceolata : 32, Ligusticum chuanxiong : 17, Bupleurum falcatum : 16, respectively) over the country, Soil texture, pH values and heavy metal content of soils and medicinal plants were evaluated as major factors. Soil texture classification showed that sandy loam, loam, loamy sand and silt loam were 46.1%, 26.0%, 19.3% and 8.6% of the total, respectively. The contents of O.M, Ex.Ca. Ex.Mg and EC value were higher in loamy(sandy loam, loam and silt loam)soils than in sandy(loamy sand)soils, but available $P_2O_5$ contents of loamy sand soils were higher than those of sandy loam, loam, and silt loam. The contents of Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and Ni in soil were high in loamy soils, while Cr content was high in loamy silt soils. The contents of Cu and Cr in Angelica gigas were high in loamy soils, and those of Pb in Astragalus membranceus, Paeonia albiflora and Codonopsis lanoceolata were high in sandy loam soils. Correlation coefficients between heavy metal contents in medicinal plants and their soils with soil texture were positively correlated in sandy loam and loam at Cu, loam at Zn, sandy loam, loam and loamy sand at Cr, respectively. Correlation coefficients between pH value of the soils and contents of Cd, Zn and Ni in medicinal plants were negatively correlated, but those of Cd, Pb, Zn and Ni in soils were positively correlated.