Listric faults of different levels and scales are widely developed in the lithosphere. According to theirtectonomechanical geneses. the author divides listric faults into primary and secondary ones. and the formermay be subdivided into gravity-gliding listric faults, regional extensional listric normal faults. regionalcontractional reverse listric faults and deep-seated ductile listric faults, By means of the slip-line field theorydealing with Mohr's criterion expressed by quadratic limiting curves. the author has preliminarily determinedthe occurrences. patterns and mechanical properties of various types of listric faults during their formation. andhas analyzed their tectonic evolution and related dynamic processes in the lithosphere.