Abstract:

The present paper aims at the studies of the major characteristics of geotectonics of Asia and their regularities of evolution on the basis of openingclosing tectonic  points of view proposed by Chinese authors and aims at presenting the  major results of studies listed as the following： （1）11 geotectonic cycles have been subdivided which  can be deduced into 3 periods， i. e., the formation period of continental basement， the formation and development period of Pangea and supercontinent together with the period of modern plate tectonics and intracontinental evolution.（2）Taking the 23 subduction and collision zones as a key framework and assuming the Siberian continental block, the PaleoChinese block, the Indian block and the Pacific plate as kerns, 4 tectonic assemblages, namely, the North Asia, the MidAsia, the South Asia and the East Asia, as well as 11 second order and 86 third order tectonic units can be subdivided. A tectonic assemblage is referred to the aggregate of the kern continental block together with its surrounding cogenetic orogenic belts and blocks. Between two tectonic assemblages there is always a tectonic connection region.（3）The Asian geotectonic deformation features can be delineated as follows: the MidAsian tectonic assemblage surrounding PaleoChina is trending eastwest which is respectively compressed by the North Asia tectonic assemblage surrounding the Siberia continental block as an arctectonics protruding to the south and also by the South Asia tectonic assemblage surrounding the India continental block as an arctectonics protruding to the NNE(only the Himalayas in the inner arc is an arctectonics protruding to the south). All of them are again intensively reworked by the NNE trending East Asia tectonic assemblage forming a complicated tectonic plan. And it indicates that the PaleoChina continental block plays an important role as “a firm rock in the midstream” in the geotectonic evolution of Asia. （4）The temporalspatial geotectonic evolution of the Asian continent is synchronous with that of the Globe and had undergone 3 major epeirogenic events forming, such as, the Columbian paleocontinent, the Rodinian paleocontinent and the Pangaean paleocontinent. During the processes, the MidAsia tectonic assemblage is unique, the formation of Columbian paleocontinent of which was in 1850 Ma, a bit earlier than that of the South Asian tectonic assemblage (1800 Ma) as well as that of North Asian tectonic assemblage (1800—1600 Ma). The formation of Rodinian paleocontinent in the MidAsia tectonic assemblage was in 830 Ma which is much later than that of its south and north neighbors in 900—1000 Ma. Its formation of Pangea in 210 Ma is also later than the global formation of Pangea in 250 Ma. The widespread development and intensive effect of the Indosinian movement is the most prominent tectonic characteristics of the MidAsia tectonic assemblage and even all over Asia. （5）The three tectonic patterns—backwardsubductiondocking pattern, singledirectional migration collage pattern and in situ openingclosing accordion pattern can be subdivided in Asia. The kinetic origin of the backwardsubductiondocking pattern is mantle convection (asthenospheric or plume convection). The singledirectional migration collage pattern may be caused by mantle layered flow induced by asthenospheric mantle or even deeper mantle upraise, while the in situ openingclosing accordion pattern is proposed to be related with the hot spots in mantle depth.

Key words: Asia, openingclosing tectonics, tectonic cycle, tectonic assemblage, tectonic connection region, tectonic plan, tectonic pattern