The　Zhe-Min　Uplift　(ZMU)　has　significantly　impacted　the　geomorphology　of　eastern　China.　Due　to　the　geographic　barrier　created　by　the　ZMU,　the　transport　pathway　of　sediments　from　the　paleo-Yangtze　River　to　the　East　China　Sea　remains　unclear.　This　study　presents　a　high-resolution　clay　mineralogy　analysis　of　a　borehole　(ECS-DZ1,　153.6　m)　within　the　ZMU　to　investigate　sediment　provenance　and　paleoenvironmental　changes　in　the　northern　East　China　Sea.　In　the　Early　Pleistocene,　the　clay　minerals　of　marine　sediments　were　predominantly　illite,　with　notable　contents　of　smectite　(24　%)　and　kaolinite　(12　%),　primarily　sourced　from　proximal　sources　such　as　the　Bailonggang　basalt　and　the　Qiantang　River.　However,　with　ongoing　tectonic　subsidence,　sediments　from　the　paleo-Yangtze　River　began　to　influence　the　study　area　during　the　Early-Middle　Pleistocene,　leading　to　a　decrease　in　kaolinite　content　(6　%).　In　the　terrestrial　deposits　of　core　ECS-DZ1,　illite　is　the　dominant　mineral　(68　%),　with　relatively　high　kaolinite　(12　%)　and　the　absence　of　smectite,　indicating　that　sediments　were　primarily　derived　from　the　Qiantang　River.　During　the　Holocene　sea-level　highstand,　over　50　m　of　marine　sediments　accumulated　in　the　Yangtze　River　estuary,　with　clay　mineral　assemblages　from　this　period　matching　those　of　the　Yangtze　River,　confirming　it　as　the　primary　source.　The　sediment　provenance　of　the　East　China　Sea　continental　shelf　is　influenced　by　the　complex　interplay　of　global　sea-level　fluctuations　and　tectonic　activity.　©　2025　Elsevier　Ltd