The　Hetian　basinal　area　in　County　Changting　of　Fujian　province　is　one　of　the　most　typical　soil　loss　areas　reddish　soil　regions　of　southern　China.　Local　people　and　governments　have　been　struggling　for　the　control　of　the　soil　l　decades.　This　study　used　remote　sensing　technology　to　analyze　spatiotemporal　dynamics　of　the　bare　soil　cover　in　the　Hetian　basinal　area　since　1976.　The　bare　soil　features　were　extracted　from　the　Landsat　images　of　1976,　1988,　1999,　2004　and　2010　using　two　thematic　indices-normalized　difference　soil　index　(NDSI)　and　normalized　difference　impervious　surface　index　(NDISI).　After　converting　the　original　digital　number　values　of　the　images　to　at-satellite　reflectance,　the　soil　and　impervious　surface　features　were　enhanced　using　the　two　indices,　respectively.　The　soil　features　were　then　extracted　from　the　soil-enhanced　images.　However,　the　extracted　soil　information　was　found　to　have　been　mixed　with　built-up　land　information　due　to　the　spectral　confusion　between　the　two　categories.　Therefore,　the　NDISI　was　further　used　to　filter　out　the　unwanted　built-up　land　information　from　the　soil　images　using　a　logical　tree　algorithm,　as　the　NDISI　is　the　index　specially　designed　for　highlight　impervious　surface　features　represented　mainly　by　built-up　lands.　Results　showed　that　the　nearly　thirty-five　years　of　fight　for　controlling　soil　loss　have　greatly　reduced　bare　soil　covers　in　the　basinal　area.　The　area　of　the　bare　soil　cover　has　been　greatly　reduced　from　159.　17　km2　in　1976　to　51.　98　km2　in　2010.　In　the　three　observed　periods,　1976-1988,　1988-1999,　and　1999-2010,　the　decrease　in　bare　soil　cover　was　in　an　accelerate　speed,　which　was　km2　per　year,　-2.　75　km2　per　year,　and　-4.　33　km2　per　year　for　the　three　periods,　respectively.　This　corresponds　major　policies　issued　by　the　government　for　the　soil　loss　treatment　of　the　area.　Government　policies　accompanied　with　effective　actions　have　played　a　key　role　in　the　reducing　of　the　bare　soil　cover　in　the　Hetian　basinal　area.