A method for the determination of total saponins of Chinese yam was established. The dioscin was used as a standard compound, the vanillin-perchloric acid as chromogenic agent and glacial acetic acid as solvent. The extraction technique of asponins from Chinese yam was studied by spectrometric method. Extracting temperature, extracting time, ethanol concentration and the ratio of raw material and water were selected as four factors to design the orthogonal test, and the optical condition of extraction was obtained. The results showed that the optical condition of extraction was as following: extracting temperature 60 degrees C, extracting time 6 h, ethanol concetration 80%, and the ratio of raw material and water 1:8.