The invention discloses quaternary phosphonium chitosan and application of the quaternary phosphonium chitosan serving as a vaccine immune adjuvant. The preparation method of the quaternary phosphonium chitosan comprises the following steps: adding chitosan and 1-hydroxybenzotriazole into a solvent, so as to be subjected to ice bath reaction, and then adjusting the pH value to 4.8 to 5.5; then adding 3-hydroxypropyl triphenyl phosphorus bromide, and stirring the 3-hydroxypropyl triphenyl phosphorus bromide till the 3-hydroxypropyl triphenyl phosphorus bromide is completely dissolved; dissolving the 1-ethyl-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiie hydrochlide into the solvent, adding the 1-ethyl-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiie hydrochlide into a reaction system, precipitating, drying and dialyzing a product after reaction, and obtaining the quaternary phosphonium chitosan after freeze drying is performed. The quaternary phosphonium chitosan is taken as a vaccine immune adjuvant for the first time, and can promote the uptaking to antigen by DC2.4 cell, promote splenocyte proliferation, and induce higher levels of antigen-specific IgG antibody titer, IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-10, thereby having a significant application value in the field of vaccine therapy.