Impacts　of　climate　change　on　agriculture　has　received　wide　concerns　globally,　yet　a　number　of　questions　such　as　how　past　climate　change　affected　the　crop　yields,　which　climatic　variables　were　the　main　contributor　for　observed　yield　reduction　remained　unanswered　to　date,　particularly　in　developing　countries.　Information　about　the　climatic　risks　posed　on　crop　growth,　and　yield　responses　to　the　specific　climatic　risks　is　prerequisite　for　understanding　the　underlying　mechanisms　of　climate　change　impacts　and　devising　appropriate　adaptation　strategies.　This　study　first　identified　the　changes　of　growing-season　climatic　variables　(temperature,　precipitation,　and　solar　radiation)　from　1982-2006　for　China＇s　maize　production.　Using　the　relationships　between　changes　in　survey　maize　yield　and　climatic　variables　and　their　spatial　variations,　we　investigated　and　untangled　the　impacts　of　different　climatic　variables　on　maize　yield.　Our　analysis　demonstrated　that　the　growing-season　temperatures,　including　daily　maximum,　minimum　and　mean　temperatures,　exhibited　significant　increase　during　1981-2006,　indicating　the　potential　climatic　risks　for　maize　growth　in　China.　Growing-season　diurnal　temperature　range,　precipitation　and　solar　radiation　also　exhibited　detectable　changes,　but　limited　to　small　parts　of　the　maize　area.　During　1981-2006,　there　were　significant　negative　correlations　between　national　maize　yield　and　temperatures　(include　mean,　maximum,　and　minimum　temperatures).　Maize　yield　in　some　maize　areas　also　exhibited　linear　correlation　relationship　to　growing-season　diurnal　temperature　range,　solar　radiation,　and　precipitation.　With　a　1℃　warming　in　growing-season　temperature,　1℃　increase　in　diurnal　temperature　range,　a　10%　decrease　in　radiation　and　precipitation,　much　of　the　maize　area　showed　detectable　yield　response　to　these　changes.　Maize　experienced　depressed　yield　to　the　1℃　warming　in　growing-season　temperature,　denoting　by　roughly　a　quarter　of　China＇s　maize　area　exhibiting　depressed　yield　and　an　estimated　reduction　of　25.1%　across　the　regions　that　have　detectable　negative　yield　responses.　The　four　climatic　variables　have　diverse　impacts　on　the　maize　yield　in　terms　of　the　magnitude　of　yield　change　and　the　spatial　variation　of　yield　response.　We　identified　the　key　climatic　factor　for　observed　maize　yield　change　for　all　maize　area.　Temperature　appeared　as　the　first　key　climatic　driver　for　maize　yield　change　in　over　40%　maize　area,　while　diurnal　temperature　range　acted　as　a　main　player　in　23%　maize　area.　Radiation　and　precipitation　shared　a　small　and　similar　portion　of　maize　area　for　playing　as　the　key　climatic　variables　for　the　yield　response.　We　recognized　the　uncertainties　in　our　study　some　of　which　came　from　reliability　of　data　resource　and　the　use　of　statistical　method.　However,　this　study　provided　first　hand　information　on　maize　yield　response　to　historical　climatic　risks,　which　advanced　the　understanding　of　underlying　mechanism　of　climate　change　impacts　on　China＇s　maize　production　and　assisted　the　projection　of　maize　yield　for　future　climate　change.　©,　2014,　Chinese　Society　of　Agricultural　Engineering.　All　right　reserved.