The source-to-sink system of the northern South China Sea (SCS) has been widely discussed during the past few decades, but little is known about the transport processes and the controlling mechanisms on different spatiotemporal scales. Here, we study the spatiotemporal changes in sediment depositional patterns on the northern SCS continental slope since 150 ka using major element, clay mineralogy and grain size data from four sediment sites. Although the changes in major element composition are strongly related to mineral content variations, few studies have focused on the relationship between element compositions and provenance changes. We presents the major element compositions from three sites that cover the full depth range of the northern South China Sea slope. The results indicate that the most significant control on element composition is provenance change. Elemental and mineral contents are used to reconstruct the spatiotemporal patterns of sediment deposition over the last 150 kyr. And we infer that the ocean currents, bathymetry, sea level and monsoon control sediment depositional processes here on different spatiotemporal scales.