Air temperature was continuously measured in hilly pear orchards at 4 sites with elevations of 10, 49, 104 and 253 m above sea level. The mean air temperature, averaged over the 10-month period from August 2001 to June 2002, decreased as the site elevation increased by 0.2$^{circ}C$ per 100 m. This weak lapse condition was amplified during daytime by sun-slope geometry. But on most days an inversion condition began by sunset and persisted until the next sunrise. During the observation period, daily minimum temperature at the valley bottom was lower than that of the hilltop on 67% of the days, and the average temperature difference was 1.4$^{circ}C$. Inversion of daily minimum temperature under clear sky conditions was stronger in spring and autumn than in winter with a maximum of 6$^{circ}C$. Lapse condition was predominant in daily minimum temperature on rainy days, and the lapse rate was strongest in winter.