A tree-ring width chronology of 442 years (1567–2008) was developed from Tibetan junipers (S. tibetica) derived from south Ti-bet in western China. Three versions of chronology were produced according to standard dendrochronological techniques. The correlation and response analysis displays a high correlation between the standard tree ring-width chronology and observed annual mean precipitation series during the period 1961–2008. Based on a linear regression model, an annual (prior August to current July) precipitation for the past 229 years was reconstructed. This is the first well-calibrated precipitation reconstruction for the Nanggarze region, south Tibet. The results show that relatively wet years with above-average precipitation occurred in 1780–1807, 1854–1866, 1886–1898, 1904–1949, 1967–1981 and 2000–2008, whereas relatively dry years with below-average precipitation prevailed during 1808–1853, 1867–1885, 1899–1903, 1950–1966 and 1982–1999. Common dry/wet periods during 1890s, 1910s, 1940s–1960s and 1980s were also identified from other moisture reconstructions of nearby regions, indicating a synchronous cli-matic variation in south Tibet. Abrupt change beginning in 1888 was detected, revealing a transition from wet to dry conditions in south Tibet. Power spectrum analysis reveals significant cycles of 28-year, 5.5–5.6-year and 3.3-year during the past 200 years.