Gallium　nitride　nanowires　(GaN　NWs)　were　successfully　grown　on　silicon　substrates　deposited　with　a　thin　gold　film　by　plasma-assisted　hot　filament　chemical　vapor　deposition　(CVD),　where　GaN　powder　was　used　as　the　Ga　source　and　nitrogen　and　hydrogen　gases　were　used　for　the　reactive　gases.　The　diameters　of　synthesized　GaN　NWs　are　in　a　range　of　40-150　nm　and　the　lengths　of　some　of　the　NWs　are　up　to　over　10　mu　m.　The　GaN　NWs　crystallize　in　a　wurtzite　structure　and　they　are　grown　in　alignment　or　bending　modes　depending　on　the　growth　conditions.　The　photoluminescence　spectra　exhibit　five　emission　bands　at　about　379,　396,　467,　481　and　491　nm,　which　are　related　to　the　band　edge　emission,　defects　and　impurities　of　GaN　NWs,　respectively.　Furthermore,　the　excellent　field　emission　(FE)　properties　of　GaN　NWs　were　observed,　and　the　FE　results　reveal　that　the　GaN　NWs　have　a　low　turn-on　field　of　1.66　V　mu　m(-1).　It　supplies　a　simple　strategy　to　prepare　GaN　NW　films　for　optical　and　electrical　applications.