Fifty-eight samples from tectogenetic α quartz veins in northern and southern edges of East Qinling-Dabie orogenic belt were studied by the use of ESR dating method. The results show that the ESR ages of α quartz veins mainly change between 99.2 and 3.4 Ma. Combined ESR dating results with other geological evidences, it comes to the conclusion as follows: after Late Cretaceous, the evolution history of southern edge of East Qinling-Dabie orogenic belt has experienced extending and faulted depression stage (73.1~52.3 Ma), extending-squeezing transformation stage (39.1~27.2 Ma) and squeezing stage (22.8~3.4 Ma); the evolution history of northern edge of East Qinling-Dabie orogenic belt has experienced squeezing uplift stage (89~70.1 Ma), extending and faulted depressions stage (61.6~43.2 Ma), extending-squeezing transformation stage (37.2~22.6 Ma) and squeezing stage (15.6~3.9 Ma).