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Cellulose-based N-doped fluorescent carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal reaction and followed by rotary evaporation and dialysis methods using hydroxyethyl cellulose as carbon source, and adding nitrogen dopant. The N-CQDs products were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. The effect of dopant with different concentrations on the chemical structures and photoluminescence properties of N-CQDs were explored. The results indicated that the as-prepared N-CQDs present strong visible fluorescence with quantum yield up to 39.5%. The optimum conditions were as the followings: reaction temperature of 220 °C, the mass ratio of hydroxyethyl cellulose and ammonia solution of 1:15 for 10 h. Under the condition, the as-prepared N-CQDs surface are rich in hydroxyl and carboxyl functional groups and N-CQDs showed good water solubility; the graphite structure (002) existed in the carbon core of N-CQDs with larger absorption peak at 272 nm; the excitation and emission wavelength were at 328 and 418 nm with excellent optical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]