Holocene (11.7 ka BP) is the name for the most recent interval of Earth’s history and includes the present day. Its climate is stabler than the last glacial, but there are still abrupt climate changes, including centennial and millennial- scale climate fluctuations. What caused these changes have no consensus, and various mechanisms have been proposed. Moreover, the abrupt climate fluctuation during Holocene might be closely related to human civilization development. Therefore, the abrupt climate change has received more and more attention.Results and conclusion: Here we review the causes of abrupt climate changes at the centennial and millennial scale in the Holocene. The high temperature in the early Holocene was mainly associated with solar activity, the melting of ice caps and ocean circulation. The highest temperatures were observed in the middle Holocene, but several dry and cold climate events were also found, mainly due to glacial activity. The volcanic activity was the main factor causing the cooling climate in the late Holocene. Other factors such as orbital parameters, tidal action, glacial action, and ocean circulation influenced the climate during various periods of the Holocene.