This study was intended to survey and analyze the illustrations of Chinese elementary science textbooks. The analysis criterion was composed of two categories, the kind of illustration and the role of illustration. The kind of illustration was divided into six subcategories categories such as photograph, picture, illustration, cartoon, diagram and recording sheet. The role of illustration was divided into four subcategories such as motive induction, guidance for learning, the supply of learning material, the presentation of learning result. The findings of this study were as follows. Chinese elementary science textbooks have about 3.55 illustrations per page. Compared with Korean ones, Chinese ones have more illustrations. From the analysis of the kinds of the illustrations on grade basis, it was found that the order of percentage of illustrations of Chinese elementary science textbooks is photograph, cartoon et al.. Photograph is prominent in entire grade. And From the analysis of the kinds of the illustrations on domain basis, the same results was founded. From the analysis of the roles of the illustrations on grade basis showed that both supply of learning material and guidance for learning are dominant in entire grade. The role of supply of learning material is a little more major than that of guidance for learning. From the analysis of the roles of the illustrations on domain basis, it was found that in domain of physics and chemistry the role of guidance for learning is major, and in domain of biology and earth science the role of supply of learning material is major.