Two efficient regeneration systems were developed in Cunninghamia lanceolata, the most important conifer for industrial wood production in China. Cotyledons and hypocotyls derived from greenhouse-grown seedlings were used as initial explants in our research. A high frequency (95.1±1.84%) of adventitious buds were initiated directly from cotyledons cultured on Douglas-fir cotyledon revised (DCR) medium supplemented with 1 mg l −1 benzyladenine (BA), 0.1 mg l −1 α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), and 0.004 mg l −1 thidiazuron (TDZ) with a maximum mean number of adventitious buds per cotyledon explant of 3.76±0.08. In contrast, a high percentage (93.73± 0.55%) of adventitious buds regenerated via callus produced from hypocotyls cultured on DCR medium supplemented with plant growth regulators with a maximum number of adventitious buds per explant (16.71±0.34). Adventitious buds elongated on DCR medium supplemented with 0.2 mg l −1 BA and 0.02 mg l −1 NAA. After liquid pretreatment with 50 mg l −1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), over 95% of the shoots successfully rooted on ½ DCR medium supplemented with 0.3 mg l −1 IBA. The innovated systems reported in this study will be useful tools for future genetic manipulation of C. lanceolata and may be adapted for large-scale propagation in other conifers.