Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the adaptability of lianas to different light environments in subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest of Ailao Mountains, Yunnan province, China. 2-year-old liana seedlings of 6 heliophile lianas (Rosa longicuspis, Actinidia callosa, Celastrus angulatus, Holboellia latifolia, Kadsura coccinea, Parthenocissus himalayana) and 5 skiophyte lianas (Euonymus vagans, Jasminum urophyllum, Hydrangea anomala, Heterosmilax japonica, Embelia procumbens) were grown in different light environments (filed, forest edge, forest interior) with the photosynthetic characteristics of each species being studied. The results showed that from field, edge to the forest interior, the P_n, WUE, T_r, P_max, LSP, LCP and R_d of all 11 species liana showed a downward trend, C_i, AQY, A_max, R_p and CE showed an upward trend, besides the measured values of the 6 sun-adapted taxa was greater than that of other 5 shade-adapted taxa. On the basis of the photosynthetic characteristics, the adaptability to full light of Parthenocissus himalayana, Rosa longicuspis, Actinidia callosa and Celastrus angulatus were the strongest among 11 species of liana. The adaptability to weak light of Embelia procumbens, Euonymus vagans and Hydrangea anomala were the strongest. Kadsura coccinea, Holboellia latifolia, Heterosmilax japonica and Jasminum urophyllum were in the middle of them.