[Objective]Rainfall is the main source of soil water supply, which directly affects the distribution characteristics of soil water, and then affects the growth of vegetation. [Methods]This study took the Qiaoshan forest area in the southern Loess Plateau as the research object. Through monitoring the rainfall and soil moisture at different depths of typical stands (broadleaf pure forest and mixed forest), the response characteristics of soil moisture at different layers to rainfall patterns under different vegetation cover and slope location conditions were explored. [Results](1) Rainfall during the study period was mainly concentrated in August, September and October, with the highest rainfall of 251.7mm in September. The seasonal difference of soil moisture in the same soil layer at different points was significant (p≤0.05), and the average soil moisture in different soil layers was the lowest in summer. (2) During moderate rainfall events, only shallow soil moisture content responded to rainfall, and the response intensity of soil moisture content to rainfall in mixed forest was greater than that in broad-leaved pure forest. (3) In the event of heavy rain, the response of soil moisture to rainfall was greater in the mixed forest than in the pure broad-leaved forest, and the response relationship was as follows: the shallow layer was lower slope > middle slope > upper slope, and the deep layer was upper slope > middle slope > lower slope. (4) In the event of heavy rainfall, the response of soil moisture to rainfall was greater in broad-leaved pure forest than in mixed broad-leaved forest, and the response relationship was as follows: in shallow layer, it was lower slope > middle slope > upper slope, and in deep layer, it was upper slope > middle slope > lower slope. (5) In the three rainfallings, the supplement amount of the mixed forest was 1.087, 1.653 and 1.004 times that of the pure broad-leaved forest, respectively. [Conclusion]It is of great significance to study the response of soil moisture to rainfall and the process of shallow soil moisture movement in Qiaoshan forest area for optimal allocation of rainfall resources and sustainable restoration of forest ecosystem.