The aerosol optical depth (AOD), Angstrom exponent (AE), single scattering albedo (SSA), and fine mode fraction (FMF) were extracted through six AERONET long-term observation sites, including Beijing-RADI, Beijing-CAMS, Xuzhou-CUMT, Taihu, Hong_Kong_PolyU, and Hong_Kong_Sheung locating along the coastline of eastern China, and were processed using the Terra/Aqua MODIS level2 C6 AOD products to study the aerosol variation characteristics and type characteristics of aerosols in eastern China. It is found that 1) the annual average value of AOD decreases from Xuzhou to Taihu, Beijing, and Hong Kong in the order 0.805±0.129、0.775±0.069、0.664±0.197, and 0.519±0.125, respectively; 2) at the AERONET site location, the annual average value of MODIS AOD decreases from Taihu to Xuzhou, Hong Kong, and Beijing in the order 0.902±0.227, 0.772±0.082, 0.547±0.064, and 0.517±0.234 and the ground detection differences are 22.2%, 4.1%, 5.5%, and 16.3%, respectively; 3) the annual average AE value decreases from Hong Kong to Taihu, Xuzhou, and Beijing in the order 1.314±0.054、1.213±0.084、1.198±0.104、and 1.118±0.078, respectively, indicating that the average size of air pollutant particulates in eastern China decreases from north to south; 4) the proportions of weakly absorbable fine particles are 38.29%, 44.99%, 44.30%, and 48.14% in the four regions of Beijing, Xuzhou, Taihu, and Hong Kong, respectively, followed by moderate absorption fine particles and strong scattering fine particles. Other types of particles are found in lower concentrations.