Provided is a method for manufacturing a carbonaceous luminescent material in which a polycarboxylic acid-containing starting material, an amino group-containing compound, an acid catalyst and a solvent are mixed together and heated, wherein the acid catalyst is a homogeneous acid catalyst selected from hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfonic acid and p-toluenesulfonic acid, or a heterogeneous acid catalyst which is a solid acid catalyst selected from cationic ion-exchange resins, cationic ionic-exchange membranes, and polyphosphoric acid.