Considerable research is now focusing on abrupt Holocene changes at millennial- and centennial-scales all over the world. This study shows that the changes in theHolocene summer monsoon can be divided into two main periods, based on climatic proxy records of lake sediments from the Sanjiaocheng section located at the NW boundary of the summer monsoon, Gansu Province. The early and middle Holocene was humid with stronger summer monsoon, while the late Holocene is dry with weak summer monsoon. Detailed results also show a series of millennial- and centennial-scale changes in the intensity of the summer monsoon, with a periodicity of 1600 years during the whole Holocene, and with a periodicity of 800 years during the early Holocene. Ten dry events during the Holocene are associated with the weakening of the summer monsoon. These rapid climatic changes may be representative of a global climatic change pattern during the Holocene. Considerable research is now focusing on abrupt Holocene changes at millennial- and centennial-scales all over the world. This study shows that the changes in the Holocene summer monsoon can divided into two main periods, based on climatic proxy records of lake sediments from the Sanjiaocheng section located at the NW boundary of the summer monsoon, Gansu Province. The early and middle Holocene was humid with stronger summer monsoon, while the late Holocene is dry with weak summer monsoon. Detailed results also show a series of millennial- and centennial-scale changes in the intensity of the summer monsoon, with a periodicity of 1600 years during the whole Holocene, and with a periodicity of 800 years during the early Holocene. Ten dry events during the Holocene are associated with the weakening of the summer monsoon. These rapid climatic changes may be representative of a global climatic change pattern during the Holocene.