Provided is an organic thin film light emitting element which has achieved all of improved luminous efficiency, improved driving voltage and improved durability life. Specifically provided is a light emitting element which comprises a hole transport layer and an electron transport layer between a positive electrode and a negative electrode and emits light by means of electrical energy. The light emitting element is characterized in that: the hole transport layer of the light emitting element contains a compound represented by general formula (1); the electron transport layer contains a donor compound; and the donor compound is an alkali metal, an inorganic salt containing an alkali metal, a complex of an alkali metal and an organic substance, an alkaline earth metal, an inorganic salt containing an alkaline earth metal, or a complex of an alkaline earth metal and an organic substance. (In the formula, R1-R20 each represents one group selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an amino group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic group, a heteroaryl group, an alkenyl group, a cycloalkenyl group, an alkynyl group, analkoxy group, an alkylthio group, an arylether group, an arylthioether group, a halogen, a cyano group, a —P(═O)R24R25 group and a silyl group; R24 and R25 each represents an aryl group or a heteroaryl group; and these substituents may be further substituted, or adjacent two substituents may combine together to form a ring. Meanwhile, R21-R23 may be the same or different and each represents one group selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group and a heteroaryl group; and these substituents maybe further substituted.)