The newly designed plasma display with the cylindrical hollow cathode has been proposed and investigated to study the relationship between the photoluminous efficiency and the discharge characteristics. The photoluminous efficiency and the discharge characteristics are dependent on the geometry factors of cylindrical hollow cathode and gas pressure in the plasma display. When p (gas pressure) x d (the hole diameter of cylindrical hollow cathode) is below 2 torr . cm, the plasma display with the cylindrical hollow cathode has as much as five times higher luminous efficiency compared to that at above 2 torr . cm of p . d value and it also shows a positive current-voltage (I-V) slope as in an abnormal glow.