Beta-SiC nanorods have been synthesized by the reaction of SiO and carbon nano-capsules. For the synthesis of SiC nanorods, it was examined that the reaction temperature and the ratio of SiO to carbon nanocapsules are important and the most appropriate temperature and ratio are around 1380 degreesC and 5:2, respectively. The synthesized SiC nanorods were characterized by high-resolution electron microscopy. Most of the SiC nanorods are straight and have the diameter of 30-150 nm while the SiC tips of the SiC nanorods have the size 100-400 nm. The SiC nanorods have many stacking faults normal to the [111] direction. Each SiC nanorod has one kind of preferential axis direction, which is either parallel or normal to the [111] direction. Based on the microstructural analysis of the SiC nanorods, a possible growth mechanism of the SiC nanorods is proposed.