Heavy metals in soil affect the growth, development, and multiplication of plants. Meanwhile, the plants which survive in environment contaminated by heavy metals have mechanisms to tolerate heavy metals. Fluorescence-based photosynthetic activity of leaves plays an important role in adaptation to heavy metal conditions, such as Cd²⁺. In this paper, the effects of Cd²⁺ on rapid light-response curves of photochemical and non-photochemical chlorophyll fluorescence quenching parameters including dark fluorescence yield(Fo), maximal fluorescence yield(Fm), maximal PSⅡ quantum yield(Fv/Fm), and latent PSⅡ quantum yield(Fv/Fo) of Salix leucopithecia were investigated under different concentrations of Cd²⁺ solutions(0, 50, 100, 200, 400 mg/L) by MINI-IMAGING-PAM Chlorophyll Fluorometer. The results showed that Fo and Fm present trend of first increased and then decreased, and the two parameters reached the maximum when Salix leucopithecia were subjected to 200 mg/L Cd²⁺ solution after four weeks. The Fv/Fm declined significantly under cadmium-bearing solution, but it was higher in the same Cd²⁺ solution after four weeks than after two weeks. The Fv/Fm rebounded slightly in 200 mg/L Cd²⁺ condition after two weeks and then dropped to the minimum in the same condition after four weeks. Fv/Fo was also inhibited significantly by Cd²⁺ stress, and showed the similar trend with the changes of Fv/Fm. The rapid light-response curves of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were also measured at various light intensities(0, 20, 60, 100, 300, 500, 600, 800, 1000, and 1200μmol · m^-2 · s^-1). The effective PS Ⅱ quantum yield(Y(Ⅱ)) and coefficient of photochemical quenching(qP) decreased with the increase of light intensity. The Y(Ⅱ) and qP declined significantly subjected to high concentration of Cd²⁺ solution compared with low concentration under the same light intensity. The parameters of quantum yield of regulated energy dissipation(Y(NPQ)), coefficient of nonphotochemical quenching(qN), and electron transport rate(ETR) increased with elevation of light intensity. The Y(NPQ), qN, and ETR increased sharply subjected to high concentration of Cd²⁺ solution compared with low concentration under the same light condition. Quantum yield of non-regulated energy dissipation(Y(NO)) kept a lower level, although Y(NO) increased slightly with the aggrandizement of light intensity. The results indicate that Salix leucopithecia has strong tolerance to Cd²⁺ stress by irreversible inactivation of PSⅡ reaction centers. However, under high concentration of Cd²⁺ solution for prolonged stress, PSⅡ reaction centers were closed or irreversible inactivated with showing the phenomenon of photoinhibition.