Prototype restoration of sedimentary basins in orogenic belts,one of the most challenging tasks in earth sciences,is crucial for understanding the evolution of orogenic belts and continents geodynamics.This paper first reviews the traditional methods of restoration of prototype basins in orogenic belts with focus on their principles and methods to reconstruct the tectonic setting of the sedimentary basin based on clastic composition, elemental geochemistry, and single-mineral geochemistry.Based on our assessment of sedimentary basins in the Himalayan-Tibetan Plateau,five major elements for the restoration of orogenic prototype basins are proposed.These include the tectonostratigraphic boundaries of the sedimentary basin, paleogeographic analysis,provenance analysis,structure geological analysis and basin-related terrane analysis.Considering the Himalayan orogenic belt as an example,this paper analyzes in detail the geological characteristics of the relevant basins in three tectonic stages of the Neo-Tethys oceanic subduction,the India-Asia collision and the post-collision.This is followed by a discussion on the geodynamics of the orogenic belt as reflected by the sedimentary basins, including the northern Indian passive continent margin basin, the Xigaze forearc basin,the Yarlung Zangbo trench basin,the Linzhou backarc-foreland composite basin,the Sangdanlin syn- collision basin,and the post-collision Gangrinboche basin,the Liuqu basin and the Zhada-Gyirong rift basin.The evolution process of the Himalayan orogenic belt is proposed based on the analysis of the sedimentary basins,and the relationships between the sedimentary basins and continental geodynamics are further addressed.