Abstract: Total rainfall percentage anomaly of summer in China has been estimated by using EOF method. The first three characteristic vectors of EOF represent three typical rainfall distribution patterns, respectively. In this paper, the features of tropical circulation of three rainfall distribution patterns are analysed, and correlation analyses of the time coefficients corresponding to the three characteristic vectors are discussed. The results show that there exists positive (negative) correlation between southern rainfall pattern and 850 hPa (200 hPa) equatorial zonal wind in the middle and eastern Pacific. Northern rainfall pattern is closely associated with 850 hPa and 200 hPa zonal wind in the vicinity of Australia. Middle rainfall pattern is related to the circulation anomalies in Indian ocean