Rapid retreat of the East Asian summer monsoon on the western Chinese loess Plateau during the middle to late Holocene and its environmental and societal implications

•Spatial difference in Holocene moisture change in the Chinese Loess Plateau.•Climate simulation and human culture also support the spatial difference.•Wettest period during ∼3–2 ka promoted the human cultural development.•Movement of East Asian summer monsoon rainfall belt led to the spatial difference.