This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a storytelling approach in Chinese adult e-learners' vocabulary learning. Two classes of 60 students participated in the experiment, with 30 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group. The storytelling approach and the rote memorization approach were employed by the two groups respectively in one teaching session of 30 minutes. Two post-tests were administered to the two groups, with one completed immediately after the teaching and the other assigned three weeks later. A questionnaire survey was also assigned to the experimental group to obtain the learners' perceptions of the storytelling approach. The results of the data analysis showed that the storytelling method was more effective than rote memorization in both short-term retention and long-term retention, though its effects tended to diminish a little bit with time. Possible suggestions to perfect the method were given in the paper.