Accurate　and　updated　time　series　maps　of　paddy　rice　distribution　and　planting　intensity　will　greatly　improve　our　knowledge.　Unfortunately,　spatiotemporal　explicit　information　on　rice　fields　is　relatively　limited,　and　considerable　uncertainties　still　exist　as　regards　to　its　inter-annual　variations　in　China.　In　this　study,　an　improved　rice　mapping　methodology　was　proposed　through　combined　consideration　of　vegetation　phenology　and　surface　moisture　variations　from　different　seasonal　rice.　This　method　was　applied　to　southeast　China　based　on　500 m　8 day　composite　Moderate　Resolution　Imaging　Spectroradiometer　(MODIS)　Enhance　Vegetation　Indices　with　two　bands　(EVI2)　during　the　period　2001–2013.　Its　efficiency　was　validated　with　763　ground　survey　sites,　with　an　overall　accuracy　of　95.02 %　and　the　kappa　index　of　0.9217.　Spatiotemporal　analysis　indicated　that　rice　cropping　density　and　intensity　lessened　in　southeast　China　during　the　period　2001–2013.　Particularly,　the　paddy　rice-planted　areas　reduced　by　30.09 %,　changing　from　231,005　to　161,484 km2.　Among　them,　the　planted　areas　of　double　rice　decreased　by　49.34 %,　changing　from　34,215　to　17,335 km2.　Therefore,　averaged　rice　cropping　intensity　in　southeast　China　decreased　from　1.148　to　1.107.　The　primary　dynamic　patterns　were　from　single　rice　or　a　rotation　of　rice　plus　other　crops　to　non-rice　(93,386 km2)　and　double　rice　to　non-double　rice　(24,132 km2).　When　analyzed　at　provincial　and　altitudinal　gradient　levels,　it　was　obvious　that　areas　with　greater　rice　cropping　density　or　intensity　were　associated　with　more　remarkable　reductions.　[Figure　not　available:　see　fulltext.]　©　2015,　Springer　International　Publishing　Switzerland.