The sugars in five plant materials have been quantitatively analysed with Thin-Layer Chromstography(TLC), Gas Chromstography(GC), and Ion Exchange Chromstography(IEC). The experiments show that each method has its own advantages and disadvantages TLC is easy to operate, but the result is not accuracy enough because of developing samples so often during the test. GC is characterized in not only a better effect on seperating sugars from sample but also a higher measuring sensitivity, its shortcoming is trivial to operate Of the three methods, lEG is regraded as the best one for simply operation. fast determination and accurateresult, but the methodis not practical because of the higher cost of DA—XA anion resin