A large area surface discharge was realized in air/argon gas mixture by designing a discharge device with water electrodes. By using optical emission spectrum, the variations of the molecular vibrational temperature, the mean energy of electron, and the electronic excitation temperature as a function of the gas pressure were studied. The nitrogen molecular vibrational temperature was calculated according to the emission line of the second positive band system of the nitrogen molecule (C3Πu→B3Πg). The electronic excitation temperature was obtained by using the intensity ratio of Ar Ⅰ 763.51 nm(2P6→1S5) to Ar Ⅰ 772.42 nm (2P2→1S3). The changes in the mean energy of electron were studied by the relative intensity ratio of the nitrogen molecular ion 391.4 nm to nitrogen 337.1 nm. It was found that the intensity of emission spectral line increases with the increase in the gas pressure, meanwhile, the outline and the ratios of different spectral lines intensity also change. The molecular vibrational temperature, the mean energy of electron, and the electronic excitation temperature decrease as the gas pressure increases from 0.75×105Pa to 1×105 Pa.