Objective: To investigate the regularity of rectal lymph node metastasis and its relations with the clinicopathlogic factors. Methods: One hundred and five specimens from rectal cancer radical resection performed in the first affiliated hospital to Medical College of Xi’an Jiaotong University during one year were collected. The lymph nodes were dissected and collected in groups, and histopathological examination was performed in each resected lymph node. The metastatic rate of each group was calculated and the relationships between lymph node metastasis and clinicopathologic factors of the patients such as gender, age, tumor size, tumor location, differentiation degree, infiltration depth, gross tumor type and the distance from the anal verge were analyzed. Results: A total of 2 211 lymph nodes was detected from the 105 cases with an average of 21.06 lymph nodes per case. Positive lymph node metastasis was identified in 45 cases (42.86%), and the metastatic rate in perirectal lymph nodes, mesenteric lymph nodes and the lymph nodes at the root of inferior mesenteric artery was 38.10%, 28.85% and 15.79%, respectively. Rectal lymph node metastasis was related to the gross tumor type, differentiation degree, infiltration depth and distance from the anal verge (P<0.05). Conclusion: Rectal lymph node metastasis is associated with the gross tumor type, differentiation degree, infiltration depth and distance from the anal verge. Appropriate lymph node dissection range should be selected on the basis of the comprehensive analysis of the clinicopathologic factors when performing radical resection for rectal cancer.