This paper outlines the study history of the Qilian orogenic belt and summerizes its present study situation.The author believes that the lithospheric texture and dynamic model of the Qilian orogeric belt have been basically established.The Qilian Mountain has been found to be composed of different tectonic units and subtectonic units which have undergone two different tectonic systems since Sinian,called continental rifting and plate tectonics.The orogenesis is characterized by subduction,collision and intracontinental convergence,which were all dominated by mantle plume tectonics.The paper also points out some of the key problems of the present study on the orogenic belts and the study prospects in future.