Abstract: PM_2.5 data from nine automatic air quality monitoring stations in Nanchang City in 2013 were analyzed to examine the spatial and temporal characteristics of PM_2.5. The potential sources of PM_2.5 were explored by trajectory cluster, potential source contribution function (PSCF) and concentration-weighted trajectory (CWT). The results showed that the annual average PM_2.5 concentration was 69.1 μg/m³ in 2013, exceeding the secondary national standard (35 μg/m³) by 97%. The diurnal variation curve showed a bimodal distribution with peaks at 09:00-11:00 and 20:00-22:00. The monthly average concentration of PM_2.5 at each station showed a 'V'-shaped trend, i.e., higher on both sides while lower in the middle. The seasonal variation of PM_2.5 was significant with the sequence of winter > spring > autumn > summer. The temporal characteristics of PM_2.5 showed a significant decreasing trend from the southeast to the northwest. There was an obvious difference in the potential source area distribution of PM_2.5 owing to the airflow in different directions. The airflow trajectories were mainly from the south and the southeast in summer, with contribution of 65.6%. However, the inland airflow trajectories were mainly from the northeast and the north in winter, spring and autumn, with contributions of 62.0%, 59.6% and 54.7%, respectively, which greatly affected the PM_2.5 level in Nanchang City. The higher PM_2.5 values analyzed by PSCF and CWT were in Nanchang City, Zhejiang Province and northern Fujian Province, while southern Henan province and central Jiangsu province were also potential source areas of PM_2.5 in Nanchang City.