Abstract: In order to study features of interaction between surrounding rock and water the self designed water absorption test device of the soft rock in deep mine, the pressurized and no pressurized water absorption experiments were individually conducted on the calcareous shale from the Daqiang Mine and the water absorption features of the calcareous rock under the different conditions were studied. The results showed that the pressurized and no pressurized water absorption values of the calcareous shale with the time variation curve could be ftted with the power function. In the double logarithmic coordinates, the pressurized water absorption feature cu rve would be in a linear and the no pressurized water absorption feature curve would be convex on the top and concave on the low. In final, with the analysis on the min eral composition of the rock sample, the micro structure and other physical and chemical property parameters, the initial water absorption rate in the pressurized water absorption process of the rock was highly influenced by the pores, the rock with a low clay mineral content and with large effective pores would have a high water absor ption value and the no pressurized water absorption value of the rock would have a positive correlation with the clay mineral content and the ion exchange value of the rock.