Forest management modes closely relate to the available light in a forest, its temperature, moisture, and nutrient status, which all influence photosynthesis. To investigate how photosynthetic characteristics respond to different management modes, we studied five bamboo forest types in Anhui Province, including one type extensively managed (Ⅰ) scarce any human disturbance, one type moderately managed (Ⅱ) some human cutting planless and three types intensively managed, which were amount of shoot dug 10%-15% (Ⅲ), amount of shoot dug 15%-20% (Ⅳ) and amount of shoot dug less 10% with fertilizering every September (Ⅴ). The results showed that 1) there was a significant difference between leaf area index (LAI) and soil and plant analyzer development (SPAD). Moreover, the variability of LAI and SPAD values increased with increasing intensity of management. 2) The variation in light-response curves was similar under different management modes. In addition, a non-rectangular hyperbola was the best model for fitting the light-response curve data, with correlation coefficients greater than 0.96. Furthermore, with increasing photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), net photosynthetic rate (P_n), stomatal conductance (C_d), and transpiration rate (T_r) increased, but intercellular CO₂ concentration (C_i) decreased. Photosynthetic characteristics had higher values in forests under non-intensive management (mode Ⅰ and Ⅱ) than in forests with intensive management (mode Ⅳ and Ⅲ). However, photosynthetic characteristics of other forests with intensive management (mode Ⅴ) showed a similar tendency to those observed in mode Ⅰ and Ⅱ. This suggests that intensive management with appropriate nutrient addition can effectively improve the light use efficiency of bamboo forests. 3) Bamboo forests had a more adaptable and higher maximum photosynthetic capacity under management modes that resulted in maximum or minimum value combinations of light saturation point (LSP), light compensation point (LCP) and dark respiration rate (R_d). Therefore, we conclude that non-intensive forest management (mode Ⅰ) and intensive management that includes nutrient addition (mode Ⅴ) are the best management modes for generating bamboo forests with a high photosynthetic capacity.