[Objective] Distribution characteristics of soil aggregate, organic carbon and total nitrogen in returned farmland in shallow Qilian Mountains were analyzed in order to provide theoretical basis for vegetation restoration and soil erosion control in this area. [Methods] Three types of returned farmland in forest region of Dahuang Mountain were taken as the research object, soil aggregate composition were measured by dry sieving method, and the distribute of aggregates, organic carbon and total nitrogen in different level were analyzed. [Results] The content of ≥0.25 mm macro-aggregates were higher than aggregates with diameter<0.25 mm, among which, aggregates with dimeter > 5 mm and 0.25~2 mm were the main part of aggregates. The stability of the aggregate in closed grassland was the strongest, and its MWD was 9.31% higher than that of seabuckthorn forest and 31.95 % higher than that of unclosed grassland. The soil organic carbon content of unclosed grassland was lower than that of seabuckthorn forest and closed grassland, and the difference was significant. There was no significant change of total nitrogen content among the three types of returned farmland. The content of organic carbon was the highest in 0.25~2 mm aggregate, and the content of total nitrogen was the highest in <0.25 mm macro-aggregates. The nutrients of soil aggregates in seabuckthorn forest and enclosed grassland were better than that in unenclosed grassland, > 5 mm and 0.25~2 mm aggregates were still the main storage parts of organic carbon and total nitrogen in the returned farmland. [Conclusion] In shallow Qilian Mountains, ≥0.25 mm macro-aggregates were the main part. Aggregates stability, organic carbon and total nitrogen of the seabuckthorn forest and closed grassland were higher than that in the unclosed grassland.