A　novel　activated　carbon　(CCH-TS)　derived　from　chitosan　hydrogel　(CH)　coated　tea　saponin　(TS)　was　prepared　to　investigate　its　removal　performance　for　methylene　blue　(MB).　CCH-TS　was　characterized　by　thermogravimetric　analysis,　field-emission　scanning　electron　microscope,　fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy,　X-ray　diffraction,　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy,　Brunauer-Emmett-Teller,　and　zeta　potential　analysis.　The　results　showed　that　CCH-TS　had　a　high　specific　area　of　3504　m2/g　with　a　large　pore　volume　of　6.03　m3/g.　In　the　batch　mode　adsorption　experiments,　the　effects　of　initial　pH　values,　adsorbent　concentration,　initial　MB　concentration　and　contact　time,　and　adsorption　temperature　on　the　adsorption　performance　of　CCH-TS　for　MB　were　studied.　The　experimental　results　were　fitted　by　pseudo-first-order　kinetic,　pseudo-second-order　kinetic　and　intra-particle　diffusion　models.　Furthermore,　Langmuir,　Freundlich　and　Temkin　isotherms　were　employed　to　analyze　the　equilibrium　adsorption　data.　It　was　found　that　these　data　were　fitted　to　Langmuir　isotherm　best　with　a　maximum　adsorption　capacity　of　604.10　mg/g,　while　pseudo-second-order　kinetic　model　could　describe　the　adsorption　process　more　accurately.　Thermodynamic　analysis　implied　that　the　adsorption　process　was　spontaneous　and　exothermic.　Therefore,　a　facile　one-step　route　to　preparation　of　activated　carbon　with　a　high　specific　area　and　efficient　dye　removal　ability　was　achieved.　©　2021　Elsevier　Ltd.