[Objective] To investigate the change characteristics of summer precipitation in mid-lower reaches of Yangtze River and Yellow River.[Methods] Based on the summer monthly precipitation data from 1960 to 2010 of 48 stations in the mid-lower reaches of the Yangtze River and 45 stations in the mid-lower reaches of the Yellow River

the decadal change

the periodic oscillation of precipitation variation and the points of abrupt change

and the reasons of the change were comparatively analyzed by Mann-Kendall test and the Morlet wavelet method.[Results] The summer precipitation showed an increase trend in the mid-lower reaches of the Yangtze River and a decrease trend in the mid-lower reaches of the Yellow River during 1960-2010. On the whole

the summer precipitation showed the pattern of southern flood and northern drought. From the decadal perspective

it was drought period in the mid-lower reaches of the Yangtze River and flood period in the mid-lower reaches of the Yellow River during 1960s and 1970s. Summer precipitation in the mid-lower reaches of the Yangtze River in 1980s was more than that in 1970s

while precipitation in the mid-lower reaches of the Yellow River was less than that in 1970s. Summer precipitation was obviously in positive departure in the mid-lower reaches of the Yangtze River and it was negative departure in the mid-lower reaches of the Yellow River in 1990s. Summer precipitation was in negative departure in the mid-lower reaches of the Yangtze River and it was slightly positive departure in the mid-lower reaches of the Yellow River in 2000s. Based on the Morlet wavelet method

it was showed that the main cycle of precipitation was about 10 to 12 years in the mid-lower reaches of the Yangtze River and in the mid-lower reaches of the Yellow River

but the time of the phase cycle was opposite. The change of summer precipitation pattern in both regions showed the strength of the East Asian summer monsoon. The strength of the East Asian summer monsoon was mainly contributed to this precipitation pattern.[Conclusion] The East Asian summer monsoon would be stronger and it should to pay attention to the summer precipitation pattern of southern drought and northern flood in the next 10~12 years.