Abstract: The Nujiang-Lancangjiang-Jinshajiang area as a complicated orogenic zone in southwestern China consists of the Nujiang-Menglian ocean basin systems within the Tethyan ocean plate,the Yangtze continental marginal arc-basin systems within the Eurasic plate,and the northern Gondwana plate arc-basin systems. The subduction and consumption of the Nujiang-Menglian ocean basin, post-plate collision, strike-slipping and emplacement of magmatic rocks led to the formation of the present-day Nujiang-Lancangjiang-Jinshajiang orogenic zone composed tectonically of plate suture zones and accretionary complex terranes,and stratigraphically of the Smith strata,limited Smith strata and non-Smith strata. Unlike the concept "traditional stratigraphy",the new stratigraphic framework of the Nujiang-Lancangjiang-Jinshajiang area in southwestern China is constructed in the present paper according to the "tectostratigraphy",a modern stratigraphic concept. As a result,three stratigraphic provinces have been separated,including the North Qiangtang-Nujiang-Lancangjiang-Jinshajiang stratigraphic realm within the Eurasian plate,Bangong Lake-Nujiang-Menglian stratigraphic realm within the Tethyan ocean plate,and Gangdise-Tengchong stratigraphic realm within the Gondwana plate.