Abstract: (1) A method of isolating berberine hydrochloide present in the Coptis(rhizome of Coptis chinensis) with the aid of chromatography is described. In this method, activated alumina was used as adsorbent and 95% alcohol as both solvent and eluent. The average yield was found to be about 9% of the crude drug. (2) The identification of isolated berberine was accomplished by means of modified circular paper partition chromatography. The R_f value of berberine in the solvent mixture of n-butanol and 3N acetic acid(2:1) was found to be 0.84. (3) A new technique of circular adsorption chromatogram is described. By this method, the content of the berberine in the Coptis has been determined with satisfactory results. The method is simple, readily performed with a minimum of apparatus. The average content of berberine calculated as berberine sulfate in the Coptis was found to be 10.54%.