Abstract: The light responses of Nelumbo nucifera ‘Boli Furen’, a local N. nucifera species was investigated under full light and 50% shading conditions in Shanghai. The net photosynthetic rate-light response curves of N. nucifera leaves were fitted and analyzed through four light response models to identify the bestfit models of different light conditions and explore the adaptability of N. nucifera to shading environment. The results showed that the sequence of fitting effect of the four light response models was in descending order of modified rectangular hyperbola model > exponential model > nonrectangular hyperbola model > rectangular hyperbola model. The latter three models had no extreme values, and could not directly and accurately provide values of light saturation point (LSP) and maximum net photosynthetic rate (P_{n max}). In contrast, the modified rectangular hyperbola model showed the best fit for LSP, P_{n max}, dark respiration rate (R_d) and LCP resulting in the minimum relative errors  between the measured and fitted values. Light response parameters of N. nucifera declined with the decreasing light. There were no significant differences between full light and shade treatments except for R_d. It was indicated that N. nucifera had good photosynthetic adaptive response and adjustment to weak light to maintain normal growth.