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Chilling stress seriously limits grain yield and quality worldwide. However, the genes and the underlying mechanisms that respond to chilling stress remain elusive. This study identified ABF1, a cold-induced transcription factor of the bZIP family. Disruption of <i>ABF1</i> impaired chilling tolerance with increased ion leakage and reduced proline contents, while <i>ABF1</i> over-expression lines exhibited the opposite tendency, suggesting that ABF1 positively regulated chilling tolerance in rice. Moreover, SnRK2 protein kinase SAPK10 could phosphorylate ABF1, and strengthen the DNA-binding ability of ABF1 to the G-box <i>cis</i>-element of the promoter of <i>TPS2</i>, a positive regulator of trehalose biosynthesis, consequently elevating the <i>TPS2</i> transcription and the endogenous trehalose contents. Meanwhile, applying exogenous trehalose enhanced the chilling tolerance of <i>abf1</i> mutant lines. In summary, this study provides a novel pathway ‘SAPK10-ABF1-<i>TPS2</i>’ involved in rice chilling tolerance through regulating trehalose homeostasis.