The Cambrian-Ordovician rocks in southwestern Jiangxi are mainly composed of deep-water deposits, in which 5 facies have been recognized: sandstone facies, sandstone-mudstone facies, siltstone-mudstone facies, mudstone (slate)facies, and chert facies. They are of turbidity current origin and are related to pelagic and hemipelagic deposits. In the light of facies distribution, the Cambrian-Ordovician deposits can be classified into 3 facies associations formed in middle fan, outer fan and deep-sea plain environments respectively. The 3 different orders of vertical cycles in the stratigraphic sequence are considered to be controlled by factors such as sea-level fluctuation, basin subsidence and submarine fan progradation. The tectonic setting of the sedimentary basin is interpreted as passive continental margin based on the chemical composition analysis of the sandstone.