Based on 44 sets of groundwater hydrochemical data from the oasis area of Hotan river basin in 2014, the descriptive statistical analysis, Gibbs diagram, Piper diagram and ion ratio method were applied to study the hydrochemical characteristics of shallow groundwater. The results showed that the groundwater in the study area was neutral-alkaline, most of which was brackish water with high hardness and was in oxidation state. The difference among the content of major cations was significant, which in turn were Na+,Ca2+,Mg2+and K+. The difference among the content of main anions was not significant, which in turn were HCO-3, Cl- and SO42-. Along the path of groundwater runoff, from the strong runoff area to the weak runoff area, the content of ions and TDS in groundwater increased gradually and the hydrochemical type changed from mixed type to Cl-Na type and Cl·HCO3-Na·Ca type. The changes of chemical composition in groundwater were influenced by evaporation concentration, cation exchange and adsorption, dissolution and human activities.