Huaiyang Shield

Originally, the Huaiyang Shield referred to the main area of the Daibie Mountains between Wuhan along the lower course of the Yangtze River and Nanjing. The term was coined by Huang Jiqing in 1945. The Precambrian crystalline rocks in the area are extensively exposed, and this shield is considered to be a continually uplifted tectonic unit. Its eastward extension is truncated by the Tanlu fault. Later studies revealed that the other side of this ‘shield’ is the eastward extension of the Qinling Mountains. A thrust system was identified in the Dabie Mountains, which generated debates about the formation of this ‘shield’. Numerous Mesozoic granite intrusions are also present in this area. Features associated with the Mesozoic thrust fault system indicate strong Mesozoic intracontinental tectonic activity in the area. These features have facilitated the formation of many scenic geological parks, such as the famous Tianzhushan Global Geopark in Anhui Province and the Dabieshan National...