History, status and trend about the research of paleoseismology

Paleoseismology was originated in the late nineteen century, but the modern paleoseismology formed at the end of the 1970s. Three stages (appearance, development and maturity) can be identified for paleoseismology in China. Great progress has been made in the aspects of trench technology, recognition signs, dating method and theoretical model, however, they are not developed to such a level at which the highly reliable data can be provided for the probability prediction of earthquakes. The main questions further concerned in the future include the study of geological evidence, chronology and displacement, the theoretical model about reliability, paleoearthquake feature in the region and large-earthquake reoccurrence, and new branches related with the paleoseismology in the stable continent region, usage of new technology and frontier sciences.