Au/Fe2O3　catalysts　were　prepared　by　the　coprecipitation　method　using　seven　precipitants,　K2CO3,　Na2CO3,　NH4OH,　(NH4)(2)CO3,　NaOH,　KOH,　and　urea.　These　catalysts　were　used　for　the　low　temperature　water-gas　shift　reaction　and　characterized　by　N-2　adsorption-desorption,　X-ray　fluorescence　spectroscopy,　X-ray　diffraction,　H-2　temperature-programmed　reduction,　and　CO　temperature-programmed　desorption　to　explore　the　cause　resulting　in　their　significant　difference　of　catalytic　activity.　The　catalysts　prepared　using　K2CO3　or　Na2CO3　as　the　precipitant　exhibited　higher　activity　and　better　stability　above　200　degrees　C.　The　samples　precipitated　with　NH4OH　or　(NH4)(2)CO3　showed　moderate　activity　maximizing　at　200　degrees　C.　The　samples　prepared　using　the　rest　three　precipitants　presented　almost　no　activity　below　300　degrees　C,　attaining　only　35%　of　CO　conversion　above　350　degrees　C.　The　type　of　precipitant　exerted　significant　effect　on　the　coprecipitation　of　gold　and　iron　ions,　and　the　crystallization　behavior　of　the　resulting　precipitates　during　the　subsequent　calcination　step,　which　further　influenced　the　gold　loading,　the　dispersion　of　gold　particles,　and　the　reduction　and　CO　adsorption-desorption　properties　of　the　iron　oxide　support.　The　high　catalytic　activity　of　Au/FeO3　catalysts　at　low　temperature　can　be　attributed　to　the　synergism　between　higher　dispersion　of　gold　particles　and　easier　reduction　property　of　the　iron　oxide　support.　The　increase　in　gold　loading　and　dispersion　of　gold　particles　and　the　decrease　in　the　iron　oxide　crystallites　are　favorable　for　improving　the　catalytic　activity　of　the　Au/Fe2O3　catalysts.