deep subduction and collision setting, creating Qinling-Dabie Orogen. This is supported by mineral evidence, such as diamonds, eclogites and felsic gneisses. Magmatism was prevalent in the eastern side, and the magma formed in this period were relatively young. Magmatism was largely caused by the collision between two cratons. Terrane accretion, continent-continent collision and extrusion in the area caused various stage of metamorphism. Evidences from various isotopic dating (e.g. zircon U-Pb dating), and composition analysis showed that the lithosphere of the Yang Tze Craton was below the North China Craton in some part of the Eastern Block, and that the magma sample was young relative to the period they were formed. This shows that the old, lower lithosphere was extensively replaced, hence thinned. This period is therefore proposed to be the time when the craton destruction occurred. Jurassic (200-100 million years ago) --- Subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate The Pacific Plate was subducted westward as the ocean basin to the north of the craton was closed. This was probably an active continental margin setting. The Tan-Lu fault is located in eastern side of the craton. The time of its formation is debatable. Some argued that was formed in Triassic while some suggested Cretaceous. The fault was about 1000 km in length, stretching into Russia. It was probably caused by either collision with the South China Craton or oblique convergence with the Pacific and Asia plates. Scientists studied the chemical composition of the rocks to determine their origin and process of formation, and also studied the mantle structure. The studies show that the lower lithosphere in this period was newly injected. The new material followed the north-northeast trend, which was concluded that subduction of the Pacific Plate caused the removal of old lithosphere and hence thinned the craton. Cretaceous (130-120 million years ago) --- Collapse of Orogen This is a period where the mode of tectonic switched from contraction to extension. This resulted in the collapse of the orogen formed in Jurassic to Cretaceous. The orogenic belt and plateau (Hubei collisional plateau and Yanshan belt) started to collapse and formed metamorphic core complexes with normal faults. Under the influence of extensional stress field, basins, for example, Bohai Bay Basin, were formed. Magmatism was prevalent, and the isotopic studies showed that the mantle composition changed from enriched to depleted, which proved that new materials were replacing the mantle root. Evidence is from hafnium