To explore the correlation between leaf physiological indexes as well as mineral elements content and leaf yellowing of Chinese yam, the yam variety ‘Ya Yam No.1’ was taken as experimental materials, the fresh weight, dry weight, chlorophyll content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) activity and mineral elements content of yam leaves with different yellowing degree were measured, respectively. The results showed that: with the leaf yellowing degree deepening, leaves fresh weight, dry weight, dry matter content, and POD activity decreased obviously, chlorophyll a (Chla) and chlorophyll b (Chlb) content decreased dramatically, but Chla/Chlb showed a rising trend. SOD activity firstly increased and then decreased, and finally increased again. CAT activity showed bimodal curve variation tendency. The contents of N, S and B increased, while the contents of Ca, Mg, Fe and Mn decreased obviously. Correlation analysis showed that Chla and Chlb were very significantly positively correlated with Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn and POD activity, and significantly or very significantly negatively correlated with N, S and B. The results preliminarily confirmed that the decrease of chlorophyll and Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn contents in Chinese yam leaves was closely related to leaf yellowing.