Rare　earth　phosphates　have　been　used　extensively　in　luminescent　phosphors.　Hexagonal　Ce1-xGdxPO4　with　crystal　field　manipulation　was　successfully　synthesized　using　a　hydrothermal　method.　The　photoluminescence　emission　intensity　of　hexagonal　CePO4　was　obviously　enhanced　by　the　crystal　structure　manipulation　with　gadolinium　ions　codoping.　Compared　to　pure　CePO4,　the　intensity　photoluminescence　was　enhanced　about　15　folds　with　x　=　0.05.　The　effect　of　gadolinium　doping　was　systematically　investigated　by　X-ray　diffraction,　transmission　electron　microscopy,　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　and　photoluminescence　spectroscopy.　Crystal　field　asymmetry　can　be　effectively　tuned　by　different　amount　of　Gd3+　codoping,　and　the　crystal　field　asymmetry　is　conductive　to　electron　population　of　high　energy　level　of　Ce3+　ions.　This　material　has　potential　applications　in　optics,　electronics　fields,　and　so　on.　Meanwhile,　the　method　can　be　extended　to　another　kind　of　high　performance　photoluminescence　materials　preparation.　©　2020　Fujian　Institute　of　Research　of　the　Structure　of　Matter.　All　rights　reserved.