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The seasonal and spatial variation of external nutrient loading from rivers and their impact on lake water quality were analyzed in Lake Taihu, China, using the monthly monitoring data from 16 major inflow/outflow rivers and 32 observation sites in the lake. The results showed:① The average monthly values of total nitrogen (TN), dissolved total nitrogen (DTN), total phosphorus (TP), and dissolved total phosphorus (DTP) in rivers were all higher than the corresponding areas in the lake. Significant positive correlations were found between nutrient concentrations in the inflow rivers and the corresponding areas in the lake, indicating the pronounced impact of external loading on lake water. ② Remarkable seasonal variations of nutrient concentration were found both in the rivers and in the lake. The highest TN and TP concentrations in inflow rivers were 4.82 mg·L -1 (March) and 0.218 mg·L -1 (December), while the highest TN and TP concentrations in the lake were 4.13 mg·L -1 and 0.255 mg·L -1 in July. ③ Extreme rainfall events could decrease the nutrient concentration in the rivers in the short-term, but finally would increase the external loading of nutrients, and indicated disadvantages for the restoration of Lake Taihu. Our study concluded that inflow pollution showed an obvious "shaping effect" on the seasonal and spatial distribution of water quality indicators in large and shallow lakes. Additionally, the self-purification ability of lakes, wind-induced accumulation and migration of algae, as well as the sediment resuspension under the prevailing winds in different seasons, all have vital effects on nutrient concentrations and their spatial-temporal variations.