The experiment was conducted to investigate the dormancy mechanism of Gentiana straminea Maxim. seeds, which were dry stored for after-ripening, and techniques for breaking the seeds dormancy by measuring seeds water absorption and the activity of seeds crude extract as well as by conducting seeds germination trials after soaking the seeds in solutions of potassium permanganate, gibberellic acid, penicillin, sulfuric acid, and flowing water. Additional purpose of the present study was to find the right way to break the dormancy and to improve the germination rate of the G. Maxim. seeds in order to provide a theoretical basis for their artificially domesticated cultivation consequently enable the plant to be better and easily used in gardening. The results showed that changes of water absorption of G. Maxim. seeds to soaking duration were in line with the Logistic curve, which included sharp soaking, stable soaking and saturated soaking stages, and the seed capsule was unimpeded to water absorption. Treatments of soaking the seeds by 1 mol/L sulfuric acid and 1.5% potassium permanganate remarkably improved the germination rate, germination potential, germination index, and vigor index (P<0.01), which suggests that the seed capsule barrier was one of factors of the seed dormancy. The crude extract of seeds had a strong inhibitory activity at concentrations of 0.02 to 0.2 g/mL and could inhibit germination and growth of wheat, cabbage and G. Maxim. seeds. With the increase of the concentrations of seeds crude extract, more effective inhibition of the seeds germination and growth rates were observed. The inhibitory activity in seeds crude extract treatment with the maximum concentration was considerably higher than the control. Soaking the seeds by flowing water could also improve germination rate of G. Maxim. seeds, which suggests that the intrinsic inhibitors was another cause of the seed dormancy. All different treatments significantly improved germination profiles of G. Maxim. seeds. Germination rate, germination potential, germination index, and vigor index of seeds soaked in 1.5% potassium permanganate solution for 10 min were significantly higher than the other treatments(P<0.05). The germination rate of the seeds treated with 1.5% potassium permanganate solution reached up to 90%, which increased 45%、20% and 106.9% as compared to that of the seeds treated with flowing water, 500 mg/L penicillin, and the control treatment, respectively; and increased about 10% and 8% compared with 1mol/L sulfuric acid and 500 mg/L gibberellic acid treatments, respectively. As compared to the control, the germination potential, germination index, and vigor index of seeds soaked in 1.5% potassium permanganate solution increased 521.43%, 266.71%, 709.66%. Inhibitory activity of crude extracts of G. Maxim. seeds after soaking 10 min in potassium permanganate solution on germination of cabbage seeds was lower than the unhandled seeds, especially significantly lower at concentrations of 0.02 to 0.04 g/mL, and soaking 24 h in 500 mg/L gibberellic acid solution was higher at high concentrations of 0.08 to 0.16 g/mL, which indicates that potassium permanganate treatment could weaken the activity of intrinsic inhibitors of the seeds. In summary, the main causes of G. Maxim. seeds dormancy belong to the combinational dormancy, i.e. the seed capsule mechanical barrier and intrinsic inhibitors, and soaking the seeds by 1.5% potassium permanganate solution is suggested before planting or nursery.