Obtain the apparent age and thermal evolution history of apatite samples in the Ailao Mountains—Honghe River(Red River) shear zone(Ailaoshan—Honghe Shear Zone), then analyze the Cenozoic tectonic significance of the the Ailao Mountains—Honghe River shear zone. Methods: Apatite fission track of sandstone, thermal history modeling. Results:The apparent age of apatite fission track is 31. 0 ～ 18. 0 Ma. The cooling history simulation shows that rapid cooling occurs at 37~14 Ma, and the average cooling rate is 3. 98 ℃/Ma; rapid cooling has occurred since 5. 1 Ma, and the average cooling rate is 11. 15 ℃/Ma. Conclusions: The Ailao(Mounains） tectonic zone has experienced twice similar tectonic evolutions since Cenozoic Era, and the rapid exhumation event from 37 Ma to 14 Ma and since 5. 1 Ma. The rapid cooling in the Ailao Mountains area are characterized by imbalance. In the time of rapid cooling, there is a tendency to gradually become late from east to west, indicating that the southern section of Ailao Mountains may be a curtain uplift from east to west in the new generation.