Three gneiss samples were taken from Wanjialaowu at Yingshan and Yinjiadian at Qidaogou, Hubei Province, and Liji of Dingbuxiang, Anhui Province, in the western part of the northern Dabie Mountains. Backscattered electron (BSE) analysis of the microstructure of zircons from the three samples was performed, and on that basis zircon U-Pb ages were determined using the U-Pb ion probe. The results indicate that the protoliths of two types of gneiss in the study area were formed in the Jinningian and Yanshanian respectively. The protolith of the Wanjialaowu gneiss at Yingshan was formed at 794 Ma and its zircon U-Pb age was little affected by the late-stage geological event. The age of the Yinjiadia gneiss at Qidaohe is 730 Ma, and as it was probably affected by the Yanshanian magmatic event, a metamorphic age of about 140 Ma was obtained. The age of the Liji gneiss at Dingbuxiang is 140 Ma. From these ages combined with the available chronological results , it may be inferred that the Jinningian magmatic event occurred extensively in the northern Dabie terrain, which indicates that the area was likely to be the northern margin of the Yangtze plate.