A light emitting device includes a light emitting element and a luminescent medium. The luminescent medium contains a rare earth complex wherein a compound represented by the following formula (1) is employed as a ligand: ##STR00001## wherein X and Y are the same or different and are individually O, S or Se; R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are the same or different, excluding a situation where R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are all the same as each other, and are individually an alkyl or alkoxy group of a linear or branched structure having not more than 20 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, a biphenyl group, a naphthyl group, a heterocyclic group or a substitution product of any of these groups; n is an integer ranging from 2 to 20; and Z and W are the same or different and are individually a hydrogen atom, a deuterium atom, a halogen atom or an alkyl group.