Abstract: This study aimed to clarify the characteristics of rainfall redistribution in desert shrub areas and the relationship between interception, stemflow and rainfall characteristics (precipitation and rainfall intensity). From May 30 to September 3, 2012, a field experiment was conducted to investigate rainfall redistribution in Salix gordejevii shrub which is one of the typical psammophytes in Horqin Sandy Land, Northeast China. During the experimental period, there were 20 rainfall events, and the cumulative gross rainfall was 135.32 mm. The amounts of throughfall (TF), stemflow (SF) and interception (I) were (112.01±3.76) mm, (1.97±0.20) mm, and (21.33±3.74) mm, respectively, and the proportions of TF, SF and I were 82.78%, 2.19% and 15.03%, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that the correlations between precipitation with TF, SF and I could be fitted by quadratic function, power function and “S” curve, respectively (all P<0.001). TF, SF and I all increased with precipitation increase, but there was an upper limit (1.40 mm) for I. The relationships between precipitation with TF%, SF% and I% might be presented by a logarithmic function, power function and exponential function, respectively (all P<0.001). TF% and SF% increased with a precipitation increase while I% decreased. Moreover, I% decreased with an increased rain intensity, while SF% increased initially then decreased. I% first increased then decreased from May to September, indicating there was an optimum rainfall intensity for SF. Continuous rainfall lowered I%, and raised SF%.