The invention discloses a somatic embryogenesis method for cunninghamia lanceolata, which comprises the steps of initial induction of an embryogenic suspensor cell mass, maintenance and multiplication of an ESM (embryogenic suspensor mass), and development and maturity of a somatic embryo, wherein the development and maturity of the somatic embryo can adopt an indirect somatic embryogenesis way or a direct somatic embryogenesis way. With the adoption of the somatic embryogenesis method for the cunninghamia lanceolata, browning in an establishment process of the conventional liquid suspension system can be effectively improved, cell division under a low density condition is started, and the stability of suspensor cells is maintained, so that a stable multiplication liquid suspension cell line is established. The somatic embryogenesis frequency of the cunninghamia lanceolata can be increased by about 20 times at most through the direct and indirect somatic embryogenesis ways, the problem of low somatic embryogenesis frequency caused by an incomplete somatic embryogenesis system of the cunninghamia lanceolata can be well solved, the cost is saved, conditions are prepared for factory production of the cunninghamia lanceolata, and a pace of industrial production of the cunninghamia lanceolata is accelerated.