Abstract: | Based on the study of the location of extensional action in the tectonic background and the state of regional tectonic stress, the extensional action can be distinguished into active and passive types. The active extensional movement is mainly composed of a set of deposition formed under extensional stress and syntectonic and syndepositional deformational structure. The passive extentional movement is expressed as regional extensional action induced under the compressional elevation. Extensional movement and action are well|developed in the Tibet|Tethys domain. By the analysis of tectonic deformation, extensional unconformity, depositional facies and paleogeographical rebuilding in the South Tibet, it is recognized that the extensional movement consists of active extension of Hercynian, Indo|China and Early Yanshan epochs, and the passive extension of Late Yanshan and Himalayan epochs. Some of the characteristics of extensional movement and structures are discussed in this paper(Table.1). |