Topography results from the complex interplay of geological processes. Specifically, intra-continental topography changes are influenced by intra-continental orogeny, which transpires within the interior of a continental plate, often situated thousands of kilometers removed from the nearest plate boundary. Intra-continental orogenies are instrumental in elucidating the earth’s geological and geomorphic evolution, advancing our understanding of earth’s internal architecture and surface evolution. The vastTianshan orogenic belt runs over 2500 km from Uzbekistan to NW China from west to east, it went through a long-lasting topographic evolution and is a classic example of a Cenozoic reactivated intra-continental orogen. This project will focus on the southern part of the Tianshan orogenic belt, applying a multidisciplinary approach including field geological and topographic mapping, low-temperature thermochronology, source-to-sink study, Quaternary dating and river profile analysis, to reveal its Cenozoic tectonic geomorphology. We aim to (1) constrain the spatial extent, timing, and geodynamic mechanisms of the Cenozoic uplift and exhumation of the South Tianshan; (2) study the Cenozoic basin-mountain coupling process between the South Tianshan and intramountain basin; and (3) explore broader impacts of the Cenozoic intra-continental deformation including climate change. This study will provide new insights into tectonic geomorphology of intra-continental mountain ranges.