The Mesozoic period is an important phase for central- eastern China, characterized by multistage, distinct, and abundant intracontinental deformation. According to statistical analysis of paleo- stress data retrieved from fault slip vectors, the Mesozoic tectonic evolution in central- eastern China can be divided into four stages: Middle- Late Triassic, Middle Jurassic- Early Cretaceous, Early Cretaceous, and latest Early Cretaceous- early Late Cretaceous, which further refined the previous division. Regional paleo- stress patterns are crucial for outlining the tectonic settings of major tectonic stages. Statistical analysis reveals that during the Middle- Late Triassic, northern China experienced north- south compression, while southern China exhibited various paleo- stress directions due to the rotation and tectonics of multiple plates. Additionally, ductile deformation with varying kinematics also developed during the Early Triassic. These distinct deformation and paleo- stress patterns across different regions were driven by intracontinental deformation processes, initiated by the closure of the Paleo- Asian Ocean, the collision between the North China Craton and the Yangtze Craton, the collision between the Yangtze Craton and Indochina Block, and tectonic interactions between the eastern and western Cathaysia blocks. During the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, the regional paleo- stress field was characterized by west- northwest to east- southeast compression, which dominantly resulted from the low- angle subduction of the Paleo- Pacific Plate, superimposed by the Mongol- Okhotsk Orogeny. The Early Cretaceous regional northwest- southeast extension indicates a consistent tectonic setting, which may be mainly controlled by the retreating subduction of the Paleo- Pacific Plate. In the latest Early Cretaceous to early Late Cretaceous, central- eastern China experienced a short- term northwest- southeast compression, with deformation times gradually shifting from south to north. This indicates a tectonism migration from south to north along the eastern margin of Eurasia, possibly triggered by a collision with an unknown block against East Asia. The Mesozoic intracontinental deformation, or tectonic evolution, in central- eastern China was dominantly controlled by far- field effects of plate margins with different orientations across periods. However, other potential factors may contribute to the observed tectonic evolution, which remain to be fully explored.