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Abstract: The purpose of the paper is to extract and make the best use of rainfall information contained in the Chinese historical archives of Qing Dynasty, and reconstruct the precipitation series during 1736–1911. The study followed the Yu-Fen-Cun (rainfall infiltration depth) observation method in Qing Dynasty, to conduct soil infiltration experiment under the natural rainfall conditions during 2004–2006. The related parameters, such as precipitation, intensity, initial soil moisture content and infiltration depth have been measured at 10 stations (east of 105°E, 30°–40°N) with representative climatic conditions and soil physical texture in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River and Yangtze-Huaihe River Valley. The statistical results indicate that precipitation is the primary influencing factor to infiltration depth and is positively correlated with the infiltration depth. Additionally, the effects of every factor on infiltration depth are significantly different between the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River and Yangtze-Huaihe River Valley. Finally, the relationship equations of precipitation and infiltration depth are established for each site, most of which can pass over 60% of the variance explanations and provide quantitative models to reconstruct the precipitation series using Yu-Fen-Cun records in Qing Dynasty. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]