This paper has probed into the evolution of the hysteresis curve of rock under the cyclic loading by the experimental research on the deformation characteristics of sandstone under cyclic loading in three axial stress levels.The following results have been indicated: whether the hysteresis curve change will depend on the stress level,when the stress level is low,the acreage closed in the hysteresis curve will go invariable with the increase of cyclic count,but when the stress level is high,the acreage closed in the hysteresis curve will be invariable from the decrease and then to the increase with the increase of cyclic count.