The Jitang metamorphic complex is key to studying the tectonic evolution of the Northern Lancangjiang zone. Through structural-lithological mapping, structural analysis and laboratory testing, the composition of the Jitang metamorphic complex was determined. The macro- and microstructural analyses of the ductile detachment shear zone (Guoxuepu ductile shear zone, 2–4 km wide) between the metamorphic complex and the overlying sedimentary cap show that the shear sense of the ductile shear zones is top-to-the-southeast. The presence of various deformation features and quartz C-axis electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) fabric analysis suggests multiple deformation events occurring at different temperatures. The average stress is 25.68 MPa, with the strain rates (?) ranging from 9.77×10?14 s?1 to 6.52×10?16 s?1. The finite strain of the Guoxuepu ductile shear zone indicates an elongated strain pattern. The average kinematic vorticity of the Guoxuepu ductile shear zone is 0.88, implying that the shear zone is dominated by simple shear. The muscovite selected from the protomylonite samples in the Guoxuepu ductile shear zone yields a 40Ar-39Ar age of 60.09 ± 0.38 Ma. It is suggested that, coeval with the initial Indo–Eurasian collision, the development of strike-slip faults led to a weak and unstable crust, upwelling of lower crust magma, then induced the detachment of the Jitang metamorphic complex in the Eocene.