The Emeishan basalts are widely distributed in the southwestern margin of the Upper Yangtze area. Under the circumstances, coastal and tidal flat sediments of Jialingjiang Formation were deposited in intermediate zone of Jinyang and outer zone of Yingjing. Based on the source direction restored by cross bedding, the composition of heavy minerals, electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and detrital zircon geochronology suggest the provenance area, further discussing the tectonic setting of Jialingjiang Formation. Detrital heavy mineral assembalges, such as zircon, apatite and chromian spinel, are mainly derived from magmatic rocks. Some of them are from basic magmatic rocks. The proportion of basic magmatic rocks from the intermediate zone to the outer zone gradually decreases. The tourmaline EPMA results show that the source rocks are mainly derived from Li- poor granitoids and their associated pegmatites and aplites, metapelites and metapsammites. The analysis of chromian spinel electron probe suggests that the source rocks in Jinyang area were from Emeishan basalts and ocean island basalts, while the provenance in Yingjing mainly came from ocean island basalts and a few from Emeishan basalt. Detrital zircon geochronology indicates that the provenance mainly came from Neoproterozoic magmatic rocks and Late Permian Emeishan basalt, which the former experienced transportation. The comprehensive analysis shows that the source of the Jialingjiang Formation is mainly from the Kangdian Oldland, and the main rock types are Emeishan basalt and sandstone. The sedimentary successions and provenance analysis both indicate that the Jialingjiang Formation reflects the process of sediment proof- erosion. Combined with seismic data and large igneous province results, Jialingjiang Formation formed in volcanic rifted margin.