A liquid crystal composition containing at least one quinophthalone series dye represented by the formula ##STR1## wherein: X represents hydrogen, a chlorine atom or a bromine atom; and R represents --OR.sup.1 or --SR.sup.1, wherein R.sup.1 represents an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkoxyalkyl group, a phenyl group, a p-hydroxyphenyl group, a p-cycloalkylphenyl group, a p-alkylphenyl group, a p-alkoxyphenyl group or an aralkyl group; ##STR2## wherein R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each represents hydrogen, an alkyl group, a hydroxyalkyl group, an alkoxyalkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, a phenyl group, a p-alkylphenyl group, a p-hydroxyphenyl group, a p-alkoxyphenyl group or an aralkyl group; or a saturated heterocyclic ring.