The Inquiry on Genesis and Formation Times of The First Bend of Yangtze River
长江第一弯成因及形成时代探讨

The genesis and formation times of the first bend of Yangtze River are closely relative to such major issues as: the evolution of the formation of Jinsha River- Yangtze River drainage pattern and geographical environment of the Longitudinal Range - gorge Region (LRGR) in southwest China and the effect of Tibet Plateau uplift on peripheral environment. It has been focal points to be discussed and drawn attention from researchers for approximately a hundred years. The causes of the first bend of Yangtze River are summed up into two different viewpoints: river capture and non- river capture. Through comprehensive survey and synthesis analysis about the landforms and sediments, it is considered that the first bend of Yangtze River is a junction of paleo- Shulou river, paleo- Chongjing river and paleo- Jinsha River before Jinsha river′s headward erosion of three river junction. Jinsha River has captured Shuilou River in three river junction, forced Shuilou River to flow to backwards. The linkage of Jinsha River from paleo- Jinsha River to three river junction forms the genuine Jinsha River water system. Based on the ages of Yulong snow mountain uplift and circumjacent stratiform landforms develop as well as the formation of drainage system of China, we primarily infer that the first bend of Yangtze River has been formed since Middle Pleistocene. Kunlun Movement is a transformational event to trigger the evolvement of landforms and drainages.