This paper summarizes the successive dynasties thoughts of harnessing the Yellow Riv-er,and analyses the two representative viewpoints of Yellow River management strategies in recentyears.It is considered that harnessing the Yellow River should see from the angle of the wholebasin,and the systematic viewpoint of harnessing the Yellow River is the basis of harnessing theYellow River,In it,comprehensive harnessing of the Loess Plateau is the key of harnessing the Yel-low River,and some countermeasures and proposals of harnessing the Loess Plateau are put for-ward.