As a special resource,water is essential for all the living things on earth.Chinese ter-restrial surface water ecosystems are classified into four types of rivers,reservoirs,lakes and marshes.According to their features,two kinds of aquatic ecosystem services are identified in this paper:prod uct supply,and environmental and life support services.The product supply and direct value were estimated and evaluated in terms of water supply for daily uses,industial and agricultural and other economic sectors,hydro-power generation,navigation,re creation and tourism,and aquatic products.The supporting services and their ecological economic values were assessed and evaluated in terms of flood control,river sedimentation transport,water resource storage,soil conservation,environmental purification,wild life habitat providing,C fixation,and biodiversity maintenance.The direct values of Chinese terrestrial surface water ecosystem services in2000were estimated as4263.91×10⁸ yuan RMB,and indirect values were5546.92×10⁸ yuan RMB.The total value was9810.83×10⁸ yuan RMB,and was up to10.97%of the GDP of China in2000.Water ecological services play an even more important role in the society than its products.