Kudzu　root　starch　contains　minerals　and　flavonoids,　which　makes　it　with　healthy　benefits.　Hongqu　pigment,　as　the　secondary　metabolites　of　Monascus　strains,　is　a　nature　food　pigment　and　has　been　identified　to　possess　numerous　physiological　activities.　Using　kudzu　root　starch　as　culture　media　for　the　fermentation　of　Hongqu　pigment　could　contribute　their　health　benefits　to　the　final　product.　In　this　study,　kudzu　root　starch　was　used　as　a　major　culture,　mixing　with　different　carbon　source,　nitrogen　source　and　metal　ions　for　the　production　of　Hongqu　pigment　by　FZU-MP1501　(M.　purpureus)　in　a　liquid　state　fermentation　system.　The　results　indicated　that　there　is　no　significant　difference　between　kudzu　root　starch　and　polished　rice　as　the　starchy　substrate　for　the　Hongqu　pigment　production.　The　result　of　single　factor　experiment　showed　that　maltose,　monosodium　glutamate　and　ferrous　sulfate　as　the　carbon　source,　nitrogen　source　and　metal　ions,　respectively,　would　significantly　increase　the　Hongqu　pigment　production.　Response　surface　experiment　result　showed　that　the　optimal　medium　component　was　as　follow:　malt　sugar　32.50　g/L,　monosodium　glutamate　22.33　g/L　and　ferrous　sulfate　0.70　g/L.　On　this　basis,　the　optimized　alcohol　soluble　color　value　was　3591.43　U/g,　which　increased　by　66.42%　comparing　with　the　control;　the　yellow　value,　orange　value　and　red　value　increased　by　104.90%,　44.31%　and　104.90%,　respectively.　In　conclusion,　the　kudzu　root　starch　can　be　used　as　a　substrate　of　liquid-state　fermentation　of　Hongqu　pigment,　and　the　yield　of　pigment　increased　dramatically　after　optimization　of　medium　components.　©　2019,　Editorial　Office　of　Journal　of　CIFST.　All　right　reserved.