Large　pore　three-dimensional　cage-type　mesoporous　carbon　nitride　semiconductors　were　successfully　synthesized　by　employing　SBA-16　templates　which　are　prepared　by　hydrothermal　methods　at　higher　temperatures.　These　samples　were　characterized　by　using　various　techniques,　and　their　photocatalytic　H2　production　properties　were　investigated　under　visible　light　(λ　>　420　nm)　irradiation.　The　results　have　shown　that　the　textural　parameters　of　the　carbon　nitride　semiconductors　can　be　easily　tuned　by　simple　adjustment　of　the　synthesis　temperature　of　the　template　SBA-16　silica,　and　carbon　nitride　semiconductors　can　be　truly　reversely　replicated　from　the　cubic　structure　of　the　template　silica　synthesized　at　a　temperature　of　180　and　200　°C.　The　large　pore　cage-type　mesoporous　carbon　nitride　semiconductor　cast　from　mesoporous　silica　at　the　hydrothermal　temperature　of　200　°C　exhibits　a　remarkably　enhanced　photocatalytic　activity　towards　hydrogen　evolution,　as　compared　to　either　disordered　mesoporous　g-CN　or　bulk　g-CN　prepared　by　our　previous　synthetic　approaches.　©　2017　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.