Abstract: This study analyzed the recent (1950s-1990s) precipitation variation at three typical locations (Yangjiang, Tuoli and Changling) in three climate regions (humid, sub arid and arid) or biomes of China. Precipitation variations at these locations have both similar and different characters. The fluctuation in annual precipitation is highest at Yangjiang. The probabilities of anomalous precipitation at three locations are more than 50%. Multiple time cycles of annual precipitation exist at three locations. The average coefficient of fluctuation at Changling and Tuoli after 1980 is significantly higher than it before 1980, but for Yangling it is slightly lower than that before 1980. The evenness of precipitation in the growing seasons at both Tuoli and Yangjiang is higher than that at Changling. Multiple time cycles also exist in the evenness of precipitation in the growing seasons at three locations and they changed after 1975. The occurrences of extreme annual precipitations at three locations have strong agreement with El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. Higher precipitation has a higher probability of coinciding with ENSO warm phase; lower precipitation has a higher coincidence with ENSO cold phase. The interaction between ENSO and monsoons may partly explain the precipitation variation at three locations in this study.