The East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) significantly influences the precipitation and vegetation dynamics in that region. Previous studies have assessed the spatial and temporal dynamics of the EASM, however vegetation responses to Holocene climate change and their driving mechanisms are yet to be understood. In this study, our multi-proxy records from southeast China are used to better understand Holocene climate change and its effects on vegetation. These records reveal a warm and wet climate from ca. 8.0 to 2.0 ka cal bp, followed by a cooler and drier climate since ca. 2.0 ka cal bp. The extent of evergreen broadleaved forest decreased significantly after 2.0 ka cal bp, which was in response to the cooler and drier climate in this period. During the Mid Holocene, solar radiation was probably the dominant factor controlling climate variability. A higher frequency of the El Niño event and increased CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere, along with a rapid southward movement of the inter tropical convergence zone (ITCZ), resulted in the weakening of the EASM since the Late Holocene. An even cooler and drier climate was identified for ca. 7.5–7.2 ka cal bp, and this abrupt cooling event occurred earlier in southeastern than in northern China. There was a reduction in forest cover in response to this rapid climate change. Decreased solar radiation and the influx of meltwater into the North Atlantic were the probable causes of this event.