In order to study the properties of cochineal color, variation of uv, visible spectra by pH, dyeing properties on the silk in several dyeing conditions and thermodynamic parameter were investigated. Cochineal colors had an unusual to pH, especially had instability in alkali condition. An increase in the dyeing temperature and in time resulted in an increase in the dye content of silk fibers. Concentration of cochineal color in the silk fiber was related to pH and the maximum exhaustion of cochineal colors showed at about pH 3. The value of apparent diffusion coefficients and standard affinities of dyeing increased with the increase of dyeing temperature. The standard heats of dyeing(ΔH°), variation of entropy(ΔS°) and activation energy(E_act) were caculated to be -1.72kcal/mo1, -3.77cal/mo1ㆍdeg and 1.26kcal/mo1, respectively. Silk fabrics were dyed bright red by tin chloride, reddish purple by copper sulfate, and bluish gray by iron sulfate, respectively. Lightfastness of silk fabrics mordanted by metal ion was weak.