The northern margin of the East Asian summer monsoon (NMEASM) in China is highly vulnerable and sensitive to climate change because of its low regional precipitation. However, the processes and drivers of long-term climatic and environmental changes in this transitional zone remain unclear due to the lack of quantitative climate data. Here, we present a high-resolution (similar to 6-year) pollen record from a lake on the central Ordos Plateau to quantitatively reconstruct January temperature and rainy season precipitation over the past similar to 200 years. The results indicate that climatic and environmental changes in the NMEASM since similar to 1800 CE can be divided into three stages: (1) a relatively cool and wet period during similar to 1800-1910 CE; (2) a phase of increasing temperature and precipitation at similar to 1910-1970 CE; and (2) a warmer and wetter period with enhanced precipitation variability after 1970 CE. Over the past similar to 200 years, a significant increase in rainy season precipitation (similar to 40 mm) has occurred, accompanied by a shift of vegetation from desert steppe to typical grassland, indicating a general improvement in regional ecological environment. The reconstructed precipitation in the NMEASM also exhibits similar to 8-year and similar to 32-year cycles. The similar to 8-year cycle may be related to the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM), while the similar to 32-year cycle is likely associated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). Influenced by the PDO and ENSO, the climate in the NMEASM has experienced significant interdecadal dry-wet intervals over the past similar to 200 years. The climate has shown a trend of warming and increasing precipitation since similar to 1820 CE, which could be associated with the combined effects of the strengthening of the EASM and global warming. This warm and wet condition was supported by vegetation growth and increased the diversity of vegetation types in the NMEASM.