Fruit development of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) and pigment change in skin ofcultivars ‘Feizixiao' and‘Nuomici' were studied. The fruit growth showed a sigmoidalpattern: the duration of the first phase in fruit growth of‘Nuomici' was 7 - 10 days longerthan that of‘Feizixiao '. A peak of anthocyanin synthesis appeared at the first and secondphases of fruit growth in both cultivars. The total anthocyanin level of ‘Feizixiao' wasobviously lower than that of ' Nuomici' . In 'Feizixiao' and ‘Nuomici' ，no obvious correlation was found between anthocyanin and chlorophyll co ntents． But the rapid decline in chlorophyll coincided with substantial increase in anthocyanin concentrations at late phase of fruit development. There was no clear correlation between the changes in anthocyanin synthesis and in phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL)activity．