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The in situ zircon U‐Pb‐Lu‐Hf isotope records from end‐Permian volcanic interlayers in southwest China, integrated with previous studies, restructure the evolutionary history of the Yangtze Craton from Precambrian to Late Paleozoic. This includes early continental crust formation before ∼3.0 Ga and massive juvenile crustal growth at 2.6–2.4 Ga; large‐scale crustal reworking at ∼2.1–1.7 Ga; Neoproterozoic crust addition at ∼1.1 to 0.7 Ga; collision and subduction along the craton margin between ∼700–541 Ma; Early Ordovician to Late Silurian magmatism; and large tectono‐thermal events in the Middle Carboniferous to end‐Permian. Some zircons with TMD2 ages from 4.40 to 4.01 Ga and lower initial 176Hf/177Hf values of 0.280592 to 0.280726 may imply the existence of Hadean crust relics beneath the Yangtze Craton and their provenances could be associated with Hadean crustal remelting. This study further clarifies that the Precambrian‐age zircons between the end‐Permian volcanic interlayers, the complexes in the western margin of the Yangtze Craton, and the sedimentary Kangdian Basin, may share an affinity based on similar U‐Pb age spectra and Hf isotope features. It also shows that the Neoproterozoic tectono‐thermal event may be associated with large‐scale tectono‐rifting activity, which is different from the Grenville‐age continental collision between Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks in South China. The above findings support the inference of a widespread Archean basement extending to the western Yangtze Craton and a provenance in the Kangdian Basin that is derived from the weathering and erosion of Paleoproterozoic continental crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mid-Permian strata in South China are characterized by high positive δ13C carb values. • Decarbonation during tectono-thermal events is the mechanism for 13C enrichment. • Emplacement causing regression and doming was responsible for δ13C carb fluctuations. During the Permian, Emeishan mantle plume activity created a large igneous province and deeply impacted carbon isotope records in marine carbonate strata in South China. To evaluate the isotopic variations caused by this catastrophic event, 140 carbonate samples from four sections were collected and analyzed. The δ13C carb values in the upper section of the Qixia Formation gradually increased, stabilized at ~4.0‰ in the lower-middle sections of the Maokou Formation, and then abruptly decreased in the upper section of the Maokou Formation. This isotopic evolution trend is likely related to mantle plume geochemical processes occurring during these respective stages. Large amounts of upwelling heat from the emplacement of the mantle plume triggered large-scale decarbonation reactions in the continental crust resulting in CO 2 production enriched in 13C. Substantial amounts of 13C-enriched CO 2 directly affected the isotope compositions of marine carbonates during this time. Temporal and spatial fluctuations in carbon isotopes were also controlled by terrestrial materials as a result of regression and doming caused by plume emplacement. The abrupt decrease in δ13C carb in the upper section of the Maokou Formation reflects the onset of volcanism, resulting in the breakdown of organic materials. These findings emphasize the contribution of a carbon reservoir (with a thermal decarbonation origin) in the upper crust, particularly against the Permian tectono-thermal background. This mechanism, which is similar to biological isotope fractionation in the carbon cycle, should not be overlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]