Millennial-scale　monsoon　variability　has　been　investigated　intensively　using　loess-based　proxies;　however,　the　amplitude　and　rhythms　of　millennial-scale　signals　have　seldom　been　disentangled　from　the　background　glacial-interglacial　changes.　Here　we　present　the　results　of　high-resolution　scanning　X-ray　fluorescence　analysis　of　a　75-m-thick　loess　sequence　from　the　north-western　Chinese　Loess　Plateau　to　address　glacial-interglacial　to　millennial　monsoon　variability　over　the　last　two　climatic　cycles.　Variations　of　the　Si/K,　Fe/K　and　Ca/K　ratios　are　separated　spectrally　into　low-and　high-frequency　components　corresponding　to　glacial-interglacial　and　millennial-scale　monsoon　variability,　respectively.　The　results　indicate　that　the　three　elemental　ratios　exhibit　similar　glacial-interglacial　variability　but　with　varying　spectral　densities　at　the　100-,　41-　and　23-kyr　periodicities.　Millennial-scale　variability　is　quite　similar　between　the　three　elemental　ratios,　and　comparable　to　those　inferred　from　records　of　Chinese　speleothem　delta　O-18,　Greenland　palaeotemperature　and　North　Atlantic　cooling　events.　Comparison　of　various　proxies　indicates　the　broad　similar　magnitudes　of　abrupt　climate　changes,　at　least　during　the　last　two　glacial-interglacial　cycles,　whereas　the　timing　and　amplitude　of　abrupt　climatic　events　are　not　well　correlated.　We　suggest　that　refinement　of　loess　chronology　and　intensive　data-model　integration　in　the　future　are　critical　to　decipher　the　characteristics　and　dynamics　of　rapid　monsoon　changes.　Copyright　(c)　2016　John　Wiley　&　Sons,　Ltd.