Abstract: The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is composed of a series of NW-SE-trending orogenic uplift belts formed by the joint obstruction of two obliquely stable rigid blocks, Alxa and Ordos, when the Indian Plate was squeezed and collided with the Eurasian Palte to the north. Several NW-SE-trending giant fault zones and NE-trending extensional strike-slip fault zones were formed during the orogenic process. Lanzhou-Zhongwei area is located in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, where the spectacular NW-SE mountain system and alternating depression zones, as well as the NE-trending fault zones were thus formed. These NE-trending faults were strongly active during the Quaternary, which played an important role in splitting mountains, expanding valleys and guiding rivers, resulting in suddenly turning NE of the Yellow River channel and crossing or obliquely crossing the NW-SE-oriented mountain ranges at Luoquanwan of Lanzhou and Wufo of Jingtai, respectively. The Yellow River channel is mostly produced in the junction of tectonic units, and tectonic fracture zones, fault cataclastic rock zones formed by regional fault zones. The fault structure is the main controlling factor for the extension and turning of river channels, especially for splitting mountains, expanding valleys and guiding the Yellow River to deviate from its original direction, crossing or obliquely crossing the mountain ranges in a short-line, large-angle manner.