The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there was a significant difference in quality of life between first-episode schizophrenic patients and patients taking medical treatment, furthermore to investigate the correlation between quality of life and symptoms of schizophrenia. Ninety-nine out-patients and in-patients with schizophrenia were selected according to the 4th edition of the American Mental Disease Diagnosis and Statistics Manual (DSM-IV), and 57 healthy controls with no difference in age and degree were included. The patients were assessed by WHO Quality of Life Scale (WHOQOL-BREF) and Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS).The quality of life in the first-episode group and the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group (F=13.660, P=0.000). The total quality of life score and psychological score in the first-episode group were significantly lower than those in the treatment group (P=0.019, P=0.007).There was a clear negative correlation between the total score of environment, quality of life and PANSS negative symptoms (R=-0.479, P=0.000; R=-0.288, P= 045) in the first-episode non-medication group. There was a clear positive correlation between the environmental score and the total score of quality of life in the treatment group and the negative score of PANSS (R = 0.319, P = 0.024; R = 0.284, P = 0.045). It is concluded that the quality of life of schizophrenic patients decreased significantly. The quality of life of first-episode schizophrenic patients was significantly lower than that of the treatment group. The severity of mental symptoms, especially the severity of negative symptoms was closely related to the quality of living environment.