Seed germination plays a decisive role in plant establishment, and community succession and dynamics, and forms a key stage in a plant's life cycle. The effects of light and temperature, and water potential and temperature on seed germination, and the influence of sand burial depth and water availability during the emergence of S. bungeana seedlings were studied through controlled-environment experiments. In light-, temperature-, and air humidity-controlled growth chambers, we set up 3 different light treatments (light, dark, and continuous darkness) and 5 alternative temperature treatments (night:day, 5℃:15℃, 10℃:20℃, 15℃:25℃, 20℃:30℃, and 25℃:35℃); 11 levels of water potential (0, -0.2, -0.4, -0.6, -0.8, -1, -1.2, -1.4, -1.6, -1.8, and -2 MPa) and 5 constant temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30℃) to study the effects of light and temperature, and water potential and temperature on the final percent germination (FPG) and germination rate (GR) of S. bungeana. We set up 6 sowing depths (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, and 5 cm) and 10 water supply regimes (7 single water supply regimes 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 mm; and 3 multiple water supply regimes 2.5, 5, and 7.5 mm/3d) to study the effects of sand burial and water supply regimes on the final percent emergence(FPE) and emergence rate(ER) of S. bungeana. The results showed that light promoted the seed germination of S. bungeana. There was no significant difference in the FPG between dark and continuous darkness treatments. Most seeds of S. bungeana germinated quickly and germination occurred in the alternative temperature ranges of 10℃:20℃ and 15℃:25℃. The optimum germination temperature range was 15:25℃. When the temperature range exceeded this optimum, the FPG decreased with increasing temperature. The seeds of S. bungeana could not germinate when water potential was lower than -1 MPa. FPG and GR decreased with decreasing water potential. When the constant temperature reached 30℃, few seeds could germinate. The FPE and ER of S. bungeana were close to zero under a single water supply. FPE reached 50% under the water supply conditions of 5 mm/3d and 7.5 mm/3d. A multiple water supply of 5 mm/3d or 7.5 mm/3d was more conducive to the emergence of S. bungeana than either a single water supply and a multiple water supply of 2.5 mm/3d. The most suitable sowing depth for seedling emergence was 0.5-2 cm. The FPE and ER of S. bungeana were close to zero when the sowing depth was greater than 3 cm. The overall trend was that the seedling emergence decreased with an increase in sand burial depth. When the water supply was 7.5 mm/3d and the sowing depth was 0.5-2 cm, the emergence was much higher than that in other treatments. Reducing the disturbance of the surface layer soil through human activities and increasing soil moisture in surface layer soil should be effective ways to promote germination and seedling emergence for S. bungeana.