* Details will be provided in the third circular

R1:  Exploring the mid-Proterozoic sedimentary succession in the Jixian Section, Tianjin

R2 : Exploring the Meso-Neoproterozoic sedimentary successions in the Shennongjia Region and the Dajiuhu Peatland Park (Leader: Dongdong Li, Qin Ye, Xianyu Huang) 

The Shennongjia region, located in western Hubei Province, China, has an average elevation of 1,700 m and exhibits notable topographical diversity. This region holds significant scientific and ecological interest due to its well-preserved geological formations and rich biodiversity, including rare animal and plant species. Geologically, Shennongjia lies on the northern margin of the Yangtze Block, with strata from the Mesoproterozoic, Neoproterozoic, Cambrian, Ordovician, Permian, Triassic, and Quaternary periods widely distributed. The Precambrian strata, which are particularly well-preserved and complete, form the core of the Shennongjia dome, while younger strata overlie its periphery. This field investigation focuses on the Meso-Neoproterozoic strata in the Shennongjia region, karst landforms, and subtropical Sphagnum peatland and its peat deposit. Participants will investigate the geological characteristics, stratigraphic distribution, and tectonic features of these formations.

Field Program:
Day 1:
07:00–10:00: Depart from Hankou Railway Station (汉口站) to Xingshan Railway Station (兴山站)
10:00–12:00: Transfer from Xingshan Railway Station to Muyu Town 
12:00–13:00: Lunch in Muyu Town
13:00–14:00: Travel from Muyu Town to Shennongding Scenic Area
14:00–17:00: Field investigation at the Shennongding section
17:00–18:00: Travel from Shennongding Scenic Area to Liujiawuchang
Dinner and overnight: Liujiawuchang 

Day 2:
08:00–09:30: Field investigation at Tiechanghe section
09:30–10:30: Travel from Tiechanghe to Muyu Town
10:30–12:00: Field investigation at Guanmenshan section
12:00–13:00: Lunch in Muyu Town
13:00–18:00: Travel to Pingqian Town with en route stops to examine Neoproterozoic strata
Dinner and overnight: Pingqian

Day 3:
08:00–13:00: Field investigation at Dajiuhu Peatland Park
13:00–14:00: Lunch in Pingqian Town
14:00–: Transfer to Badong Railway Station (巴东站) for departure

Cost: RMB 2800 per person
Participants: Minimum 10, maximum 25

Contact:
Dongdong Li
Phone: +86 13237129187
Email: dongdong@pku.edu.cn

R3 :  Exploring the Neoproterozoic-Cambrian transitional successions in the South China Block 

This eight-day, post-conference fieldtrip will provide an overview of the stratigraphy of Neoproterozoic-Cambrian transition in the South China Block. The stratigraphic units we will examine during this fieldtrip cover successions ranging from the shallow water to deep water faces, including (from oldest to the youngest) the pre-Cryogenian Gongdong, Cryogenian Chang’an, Fulu, Datangpo, and Nantuo formations, Ediacaran Doushantuo and Dengying formations, and the early Cambrian Yanjiahe formations and their equivalents. These units host critical records of Earth-Life System Evolution across the Neoproterozoic and Cambrian transition, including but not limited to the Snowball Earth event, the Neoproterozoic oxygenation event, and the Cambrian explosion. Besides, we will visit the GSSP for the conterminous base of the Miaolingian Series and Wuliuan Stage (Cambrian) at Balang and attend its ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Basic itinerary:
06/13 evening: Travel from Wuhan to Yichang by train;
06/14: Visit sections in the Yangtze Gorges area, where we will see the sequence from upper Cryogenian to lower Cambrian (platform setting);
06/15: Travel a long distance from Yichang to Guzhang and visit sections near Guzhang, where we will see the sequence from Cryogenian to Cambrian (slope setting);
06/16: Travel from Guzhang to Jiangkou, and visit outcrops of interglacial Datangpo Formation and the Wenghui biota;
06/17: Travel from Jiangkou to Weng’an and visit the Weng’an biota outcrops;
06/18: Travel from Weng’an to Jianhe and attend the ceremony of the Cambrian Wuliuan GSSP;
06/19: Travel from Jianghe to Zhaoxing and visit Tonian-Cryogenian transitional outcrops;
06/20: Travel from Zhaoxing to Sanjiang and visit Cryogenian successions;
06/21: Travel from Sanjiang to Guilin international airport.

Estimated cost per participant: 1350 USD, including:
Field guides and all support material;
Transfer by train and bus throughout the trip;
8 dinners/7 lunches + non-alcoholic drinks throughout the trip;
8 night hotels;
Logistic assistance.

Number of participants: 20~25

Contact:
Leader: Maoyan Zhu.
For more information, please contact Chuan Yang, E-mail: cyang@nigpas.ac.cn)

R4 : Exploring the Permian-Triassic sedimentary successions in the Hubei Province (Leader: Hao Yang, Xin Cheng Chou) 

Hubei is located in South China, and most of Hubei Province belonged to the Jiangnan Carbonate platform at the turn of the Permian-Triassic. As a result, many carbonatite sections spanning the Permian-Triassic period were developed in Hubei Province. In addition to the carbonate terrace sections, some slope-phase continuous sections are also exposed in Hubei Province. The field route of this conference was designed to cover two sections about 200 kilometers away from Wuhan, one of which is the Chongyang section of the carbonate facies, and the other is Chibi section of the slope-phase section. The two profiles have a complete sedimentary record of the Permian-Triassic turn of the century, but the two profiles have different sedimentary construction due to the different paleogeographic locations. The Chongyang section deposited calcareous microbialites at the Permian-Triassic , while the Chibi section deposited a volcanic ash bed followed by thinly bedded, in part dolomiticlight gray carbonate. The different depositional phenomena of the two sections in the same period can be clearly seen in the field, which provides us with good materials for a deep understanding of the geobiological processes in this period.

Field Program:
Day 1:
09:00–10:30: Depart from Hotel to Chibi County
10:30–12:30: Field investigation at the Chibi section
12:30–14:00: Lunch in Chibi County
14:00–16:00: Depart from Chibi County to Hotel
Dinner and overnight:  Hotel in Wuhan

Day 2:
09:00–10:30: Depart from Hotel to Chongyang County
10:30–12:30: Field investigation at the Chongyang section
12:30–14:00: Lunch in Chongyang County
14:00–16:00: Depart from Chongyang County to Hotel
Dinner and overnight:  Hotel in Wuhan

Cost: RMB 700 per person
Participants: Minimum 20, maximum 25

Contact:
Hao Yang
Phone: +86 8986153258
Email: 2003yanghao@163.com

R5 : Exploring the Triassic terrestrial stratigraphy, sedimentology, and palaeontology along the banks of the Yellow River, Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces, North China (Leader: Daoliang Chu)

The terrestrial Triassic on the banks of the Yellow River is well exposed, which is an important research area for studying the ecosystem reconstruction and palaeoclimate evolution following the end-Permain mass extinction. During the fieldtrip, we will visit the Permian-Triassic boundary, Early-Middle Triassic and Middle-Late Triassic transition sections with fossil plants, invertebrates and tetrapods, and a variety of sedimentary structures and facies. In addition, the beautiful landscape and the historic folk culture along the Yellow River will add highlights and fascinating memories to this fieldtrip.

Field Excursion Program
Day 1: Arrival & Liulin Section Investigation
09:00–11:30 | Depart from Wuhan to Taiyuan (Flight)
11:30–14:30 | Transfer by vehicle from Taiyuan to Liulin
14:30–17:00 | Field investigation at the Liulin Section
Evening | Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Liulin

Day 2: Wupu & Chashang Sections Investigation
09:00–10:00 | Depart from hotel to Wupu
10:00–12:30 | Field investigation at the Wupu Section
12:30–14:00 | Lunch in Wupu County
14:00–17:00 | Field investigation at the Chashang Section
Evening | Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Wupu

Day 3: Qikou & Beigan Sections Investigation
09:00–10:00 | Depart from hotel to Qikou Town
10:00–12:30 | Field investigation at the Qikou Section
12:30–14:00 | Lunch in Qikou Town
14:00–17:00 | Field investigation at the Beigan Section
Evening | Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Jiaxian or Yulin

Day 4: Return to Wuhan
10:00–12:30 | Transfer from Yulin to Wuhan (Flight)

Logistical Details
Cost: RMB 2,500 per person (includes transportation, meals, and accommodation)
Group Size: Minimum 10, maximum 20 participants

Contact:
Daoliang Chu
Phone: +86 15071193391
Email: chudl@cug.edu.cn