Two sediment cores, one 396 cm long from west Taihu Lake, another 246 cm long from east Taihu Lake, are interpreted from the analysis of their magnetic susceptibility, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, total pigments, organic carbon isotope, hydrogen index, saturated hydrocarbons, ¹⁴C dating and surficial sediment conditions. The west Taihu Lake core is the longest one studied in this lake so far, and has provided us the most complete environmental and climatic information for this lake. The results from the west Taihu lake core indicate that Taihu Lake has undergone the following stages:from ca.14 300 to 13 300 aB.P. Taihu Lake was in low lake-level, and there existed exposed features from the proxies reflecting arid paleoclimate. From ca.13 300 to 12 400 aB.P. an arid transitional stages occurred with a slightly warmer and wetter climate. From ca. 12 400 to 10 900 aB.P. a period of large climatic fluctuation occurred and from 10900-10 000 aB.P. a warm period developed with deep water and strongly reducing sediments. During ca.10 000-7 200aB.P., a cool transitional period alternating with a warm climate occurred. It was warm and wet during 7 200-5 700aB.P.; some proxies changed violently in 5 050aB.P., reflecting obvious changes in material source and a probable interruption of sedimentation. The east Taihu Lake history from ca. 6 550 to 6 450 aBP, the climate was cold and dry, and gradually turned warm and wet in ca. 6 450-6 050 aBP. It was warm and wet in ca. 6 050-5 800 aBP and had a cold tendency in 5 800-ca. 5 000 aBP. An abrupt change occurred at ca. 5 000 aBP, and the lake sediment in the uppmost part was disturbed by wave action indicating shallow water conditions.