Shallowwater deltas and centralbasin sandbodies in large lacustrine depression basins have become the most important target for the stratigraphic reservoirs exploration in China. Based on the analysis of typical lacustrine shallowwater deltas in modern lakes and the study of lacustrine shallowwater deltas and centralbasin sandbodies in the MesoCenozoic large lacustrine depression basins in China, several recognizes have been obtained as following: (1) Based on the analysis of the geological settings for the shallowwater deltas formation, nine types of lacustrine deltas have been classified according to the feeder systems, lake depth and deltafront gradient; (2) Depositional model for shoalwater profile river deltas has been established which presents the terminal distributary channels and terminal splays; (3) Controls for the largearea shallowwater deltaic sandbodies have been analyzed and the distribution model of shallowwater deltas and centralbasin sands in open lacustrine depression basin has been established, and it is proposed that open lake is the most important basis for the development of largescale shallowwater deltas in the basin center and outflow channels control the alignment of the centralbasin sandbodies; (4) Fluvial, delta, lake current and bottom density current are the main traction currents that formed sandbodies in the basin center, and flooding turbidite fans and slumping turbidite fans are the main sedimentary gravity deposits; (5) The thirdorder sequence boundaries in the large shallowwater deltas have great influence on the distribution of lithological or diagenetic traps, and superimposed sandbodies on the sequence boundary are abundant of lithological reservoirs in the delta plains which show the great potential for oil and gas exploration. These understandings are helpful to the development of lacustrine sedimentology and the exploration of stratigraphic reservoirs in large lacustrine depression basins.