In this study, tree-ring cores were collected from Picea crassifolia in the eastern Qilian Mountains using a plot method. Both living and dead trees were included in our tree-ring core sampling. The tree-ring width chronologies were established for the living and dead trees, respectively, using a regional curve standardization(RCS) detrending method. Basal area increment(BAI) series were also developed based on tree-ring width measurements. Then, the radial growth characteristics were compared between the living and dead Picea crassifolia with RCS tree-ring width index and BAI. Based on the analysis of trends in annual temperature and precipitation in the region, the segmented study was conducted on the radial growth of Picea crassifolia, with 1987 as the boundary. Furthermore, climatic-responses of Picea crassifolia for the dead and living trees were explored by analyzing the radial growth-climate relationships. In order to eliminate the influence of long-term trends on the correlation analysis results, the correlation analysis also utilized first-order differenced climate data and tree-ring series (RCS tree-ring width index and BAI) first-order differenced data. The results showed that the radial growth rates of living Picea crassifolia were significantly higher than those of the dead trees, and the radial growth of dead Picea crassifolia trees showed a significant downward trend while living trees showed a relatively gentle growth trend after the rapid warming in the mid-1980s. We found that precipitation promoted the radial growth of Picea crassifolia, while the temperature inhibited the radial growth. The moisture condition was a primary factor affecting the radial growth of Picea crassifolia in our study region. Due to the rapid warming, the differences in growth between living and dead trees of Picea crassifolia were greater, and the mortality rate of Picea crassifolia also was significantly increased after the mid-1980s. Then, the response relationship between the radial growth of Picea crassifolia and climate was changed. The radial growth of Picea crassifolia was mainly affected by the moisture condition in pre-growing months (September of the previous year to February of the current year) during 1951-1986, while radial growth of Picea crassifolia was more affected by the moisture condition in the growing season (June to August of the current year) during 1987-2020. Meanwhile, the radial growth of the dead trees showed higher sensitivity to the regional moisture condition and higher negative correlations with temperature than that of the living trees after 1987. Warming-induced drought stress has become a main limiting climatic factor of radial growth for Picea crassifolia in the eastern Qilian Mountains, and the mortality rate of Picea crassifolia could increase further under the warming background.