Abstract: Precipitation cloud is the main target of artificial rain enhancement operation. Understanding the vertical structure of precipitation cloud is essential to choose seeding conditions. Based on the data of Cloudsat, the vertical structure of precipitation cloud and non-precipitation cloud in North China and Jianghuai Area from March 2008 to February 2009 are analyzed.First of all, the approach of judging precipitation cloud with Cloudsat is validated effectively by lots of examples. Then precipitation cloud and non-precipitation cloud are analyzed by a statistical analysis to get the vertical structure characteristics. Results show that precipitation cloud and non-precipitation cloud vertical structures are different. The cloud base height of single-layer and multi-layer precipitation cloud is less than 2 km. The cloud base height of non-precipitation single-layer cloud is mainly above 2 km in both two areas, the annual mean frequencies are 55% in North China and 51% in Jianghuai Area. Cloud thickness of single-layer precipitation cloud is mainly lager than 6 km in these two areas, and the annual mean frequencies are 67% in North China and 73% in Jianghuai Area.Cloud thickness of precipitation multi-layer cloud is mainly between 2 km and 4 km, and the frequency is 36% in the two areas. Cloud thickness of non-precipitation cloud is mainly below 2 km. The frequency is all more than 50% for single or multi-layer cloud. The precipitation cloud thickness of multilayer cloud except interlayer is mainly between 1 km and 2 km, the annual mean frequencies are 33% in North China and 34% in Jianghuai Area. The non-precipitation cloud thickness of multilayer cloud except interlayer is mainly above 4 km, the annual mean frequencies are 41% in North China and 44% in Jianghuai Area. The annual mean height of cloud top and cloud base in precipitation cloud are different from non-precipitation cloud, the annual mean height of cloud top and cloud base in precipitation cloud are 8.7 km and 0.7 km in North China, 9.85 km and 0.7 km in Jianghuai Area. On the other hand, the annual mean height of cloud top and cloud base in non-precipitation cloud are 7.45 km and 2.8 km in North China, 7.8 km and 2.75 km in Jianghuai Area, respectively.