Y2O3 powders doped with rare-earth ions were synthesized by sol-gel combustion synthesis. Effects of different calcinating temperatures, Er3+ doping concentration and Yb3+ doping concentration were investigated. It was shown that the single well crystallized Y2O3 powders could be obtained at 800 ℃; as the calcinating temperature increased, the crystallinity and upconversion luminescence intensity were higher; the particle size was uniform around 1 μm at 900 ℃; when Er3+ doping concentration was 1 mol%, the green upconversion luminescence intensity reached the maximum, but for red upconversion luminescence, when Er3+ doping concentration was 4 mol%, its luminescence intensity reached the maximum; as the ratio of Yb3+ to Er3+ was 4∶1, the green emission intensity reached the maximum, while the red emission intensity was always increasing as Yb3+ doping concentration increased.