The force that drives continental drift has been one of the most challenging subjects of the plate tectonics theory in the last decades. The Proto-Tethys evolution exemplifies a scenario of drifting of continental plates during closure of the Proto-Tethys Ocean. The Pan-Cathaysian blocks in the Southeast Asian tectonic realm (SATR) derived from break-up of the Rodinia supercontinent witnessed the entire process of the Proto-Tethys evolution. The blocks and suture zones between them offer crucial information on the dynamics of continental drifting linked to shallow mantle convection and deep mantle flow.

Break-up of the Pan-Cathaysian blocks from the Rodinia and opening of the Proto-Tethys Ocean, e.g., the Changning-Menglian (CM) Ocean and the Tam Ky-Phuoc Son-Po Ko (TPP) Ocean, is evidenced by the volcano-sedimentary records in the SATR and their source affinities. Subsequent convergent tectonics occurred during the subduction of the Proto-Tethys CM oceanic plate beneath the northern margin of the Gondwana and of the oceanic plate of the TPP subsidiary ocean beneath the Truong Son and Kontum blocks. Occurrence of tectonic mélanges, e.g., the Lancang mélange, and extensive arc (continental or intra-oceanic) magmatic rocks attests the switch from passive to active plate margins, forming advancing subduction zones (Andean-type) along both the distal and proximal margins of the CM Ocean, and within the TPP Ocean. Jinshajiang-Ailao Shan-Song Ma (JAS) rifting proceeded and Dapingzhang back-arc rifting occurred during or subsequent to the transition from advancing to retreating subduction along the southern margin of the Indochina block. Closing of the CM and TPP oceans in the SATR by suturing of the oceans and collision of the continental blocks occurred in the late early Paleozoic, which is evidenced by, e.g., existence of high-pressure rocks along the CM suture and post-collisional magmatic rocks along the TPP suture zone.

The Proto-Tethys evolution in the SATR narrates a scenario of supercontinent break-up and assembly through continental drifting. Progressive Gondwana-centered convergent drifting of the Pan-Cathaysian blocks induced progressive closure of the Proto-Tethys main and subsidiary oceans, and rifting and closing of the rift basin and back-arc basin. Advancing subduction-ridge spreading-retreating subduction systems (ARRs) or subduction-spreading-subduction systems (SSSs) were formed and transported toward the Gondwana during the convergent drifting of the continental blocks. It is suggested that coupled shallow- and deep mantle flow, i.e., stratified mantle convection, is the major driving mechanism of the Gondwana-centered convergence of the Pan-Cathaysian blocks. In the model, the shallow-mantle convections directly control the subduction geometries and plate kinematics, while the deep-mantle convection is responsible for the drifting of the continental blocks, formation and migration of the SSSs and ARRs.

在过去的几十年里，推动大陆漂移的力量一直是板块构造理论中最具挑战性的主题之一。原始特提斯洋的演化例证了原始特提斯洋关闭期间大陆板块漂移的情景。罗迪尼亚超大陆分裂形成的东南亚构造域（SATR）泛华夏系地块见证了原始特提斯演化的全过程。它们之间的块体和缝合带提供了有关与浅地幔对流和深地幔流动相关的大陆漂移动力学的重要信息。

Rodinia 的泛华夏系块体的分裂和原始特提斯洋的开放，例如长宁-孟连 (CM) 洋和 Tam Ky-Phuoc Son-Po Ko (TPP) 洋，证明了SATR 中的火山沉积记录及其来源相似性。随后的会聚构造发生在冈瓦纳大陆北缘之下的原始特提斯 CM 大洋板块和长山和昆腾地块下方的 TPP 附属洋的大洋板块俯冲期间。构造混杂岩的出现，例如澜沧江混杂岩，以及广泛的弧形（大陆或洋内）岩浆岩证明了从被动板块边缘到主动板块边缘的转变，沿着板块的远端和近端边缘形成了推进的俯冲带（安第斯型）。 CM 海洋和 TPP 海洋内。金沙江-哀牢山-松马(JAS)裂谷在印度支那地块南缘由进退俯冲过渡期间或之后发生，大坪章弧后裂谷发生。SATR中CM和TPP海洋在早古生代晚期因海洋缝合和陆块碰撞而闭合，例如CM缝合线上存在高压岩石和碰撞后岩浆可以证明这一点。沿 TPP 缝合带的岩石。

SATR 中的原始特提斯演化描述了超大陆通过大陆漂移分裂和组装的情景。以冈瓦纳为中心的泛华夏陆块渐进式会聚漂移导致原特提斯主副洋逐渐闭合，裂谷盆地和弧后盆地逐渐裂开和闭合。在大陆块会聚漂移期间，形成了推进的俯冲-脊扩张-后退俯冲系统（ARRs）或俯冲-扩张-俯冲系统（SSSs）并输送到冈瓦纳。认为浅、深地幔耦合流动，即分层地幔对流，是泛华夏地块冈瓦纳中心辐合的主要驱动机制。在模型中，