The pyrolysis characteristics of Yaojie oil shale (YJOS) and the composition of its pyrolysis products, including shale oil, semicoke and retorting gas, were studied by aluminium retort low-temperature carbonization, TG-DTG, FT-IR, GC and GC-MS. The results showed that the best pyrolysis temperature was about 510℃. Although inorganic matter in oil shale was useful to decrease the initial pyrolysis temperature, combined closely with organic matter, it could hinder the escaping of pyrolysis product. Aliphatic hydrocarbon was disappeared and condensation and aromaticity were increased in the semicoke. The main combustible components of retorting gas were H2 and CH4, followed by C2H6, CO and C2H4. Average relative molecular mass of the retorting gas was about 20.4 and its average specific heat capacity was about 51.9 J/(mol·℃) with the average heat value of about 40.13 MJ/m3. The shale oil with the density of 0.938 g/mL contained not only saturated hydrocarbons(35.91%) and aromatic hydrocarbons(26.51%), but also many O, N, S-containing organic compounds. ©, 2015, Science Press. All right reserved.