The human settlement activities and the human settlement culture in the Yellow River basin have lasted for thousands of years. It is an important component of the culture and the result of human being adapting to the physical and geographical conditions of the Yellow River basin actively. According to the spatial scale，the historical dynamic construction process and general characteristics of human settlement culture in the Yellow River basin，the relationship is coupled and decoupled from the general cultural and geographical features，the regional features of the river basin and the characteristics of human settlements. In the history，the human settlement culture of the Yellow River basin was presented by means of rich material carriers directly related to human settlement activities，such as historic towns and villages，scenic spots and historical gardens. The core of human settlement culture is “People’s Yearning for a Better Life” in the Yellow River basin. As the main tone and general direction，it is embodied in the overall civilization construction achievements of civilization，green，livable and so on.