Morphological variation during the gametophyte development process of Dryopteris chinensis （Bak.） Koidz. was observed. The results show that the development process of D. chinensis can be divided into spore germination， filament formation， plate formation， prothallus formation， sexual organ formation and apogamety. The spores are bilaterally symmetric， monolete， surface with ridge fold ornamentation， elliptical in polar view， and approximately semicircle-shaped in equatorial view. The spore germination type is of Vittaria-type； the filaments with a length of 3-7 cells， not branched or occasionally branched， with single or double row cells； mature prothallus is symmetrically cordate， and the development type of prothallus is of Aspidium-type， with long unicellular clavate trichomes distributed on the surface and in the margin； with antheridium but archegonium is not observed， belongs to apogamety. One prothallium of D. chinensis produces one embryo， and young embryo can be generated within one month after the formation of antheridium； there are a lot of unicellular trichomes and some multicellular trichomes on the young embryo of sporophyte.