Abstract: Eastern Asia continent is a compound continent composed of some blocks, numerous micro-landblocks and fold belts or orogenic belts. In this article, the tectonic background and evolution of Eastern Asia as a whole are studied from the results of numerous authors relative to different sub-regions. Our synthetic study shows that the tectonic evolution of Eastern Asia can be divided into three stages: the generation stage of Precambrian epeirocratons, divergence and convergence stage of continental and oceanic crusts during the Paleozoic and basin-mountain development stage in the Meso-Cenozoic, with the tectonic evolution since Meso-Cenozoic particularly significant for the formation of most petroliferous basins in Eastern Asia. According to the geodynamical background since Yanshan of Eastern Asia experienced and the distinction among the different areas, Eastern Asia can be divided into 7 tectonic domains: western compressive tectonic domain, western pediocratic tectonic domain, Qingzang-Qiangtang tectonic domain, centeral cratonic tectonic domain, subducted margin tectonic domain, eastern clroum-Pacific tectonic domain and Xing'an-Mengolia tectonic domain. This division is meaningful for understanding basins forming mechanism as well as for analogue analysis between basins for prediction of petroleum resources.