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• Precambrian paragneisses from the Foping complex in South Qinling have a Neoproterozoic sedimentary protolith. • Neoproterozoic felsic igneous rocks in South Qinling and the Yangtze Block were the major sources of the sedimentary protolith. • Crustal growth in South Qinling occurred at ca. 1000–900 Ma, followed by reworking of ancient crust after ca. 900 Ma. • Tectonic shift from an island arc to a continental arc in the northern Yangtze Block occurred at ca. 900–860 Ma. Basement rocks within orogenic belts are useful for reconstructing crustal evolution. In the present study, we report the U-Pb ages and Hf isotopic compositions of detrital zircon and the geochemical of whole rock for Precambrian paragneiss from the Foping complex in South Qinling. The paragneiss samples had TiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 ratios of 1.84–5.70, Th/Sc ratios of 0.67–1.20, and Zr/Sc ratios of 11.0–18.1, suggesting felsic rocks as the major source. The immobile trace elements indicate that the source rocks were mostly derived from a continental arc environment. The U-Pb ages of detrital zircon are notably concentrated around two major peaks at ∼850 Ma and ∼700 Ma and two subordinate peaks at ∼2500 Ma and ∼2000 Ma with ε Hf (t) values varied widely from –26.0 to +12.4. The predominantly Neoproterozoic ages of the detrital zircon grains show a similar age distribution to those of Neoproterozoic igneous rocks in South Qinling and the Yangtze Block. Combining the results with the existing data for Neoproterozoic rocks in the study area, we propose that South Qinling was generally characterized by growth of the crust in the early Neoproterozoic (ca. 1000–900 Ma) that could have resulted from an intra-oceanic subduction along the northern margin of the Yangtze Block. Reworking of the ancient crust strengthened thereafter, which could be attributed to tectonic shift from an island–arc setting to a continental arc environment at ca. 900–860 Ma. Extensive formation of igneous rocks in the continental arc provided the main source for the Precambrian paragneisses in the Foping dome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]