After the Ordovician Ice Age, the Paleo-Ocean of the Upper Yangtze Region had experienced temperature recovery in the Early Silurian and a large number of organisms multiplied. The scale of reefs was small patch reefs. A certain amount of coral-stromatoporoid reefs developed in the Shiniulan Formation (Late Aeronian, Early Silurian) in the Upper Yangtze Platform. Based on a lot of field geological observations and comprehensive use by means of thin section identification, carbon and oxygen isotopes and elemental analysis, we systematically studied the development process of reefs (Early Silurian) in the Paleo-Ocean of Upper Yangtze Region. The results showed that the coral-stromatoporoid reefs mainly developed in the middle-upper part of the stratum of the Shiniulan Formation. The reef-forming organisms were mainly coral and stromatoporoid, and reef-inserted organisms were bryozoans, brachiopods, cephalopods, algae, crinoids and bivalves. The Shiniulan Formation reef developed on the ramp of the carbonate Platform, which corresponded to the four growth stages of reefs: stabilization, colonization, diversification and domination. From the bottom to top, the Shiniulan Formation, the argillaceous and sandy content decreased, while the lime composition and biological remnants increased in quantity. Under the influence of Caledonian tectonic movement in the Early Silurian, the growth of reefs in the Shiniulan Formation of the Yangtze Platform was frequently affected by external source agitation, sea level fluctuation, seawater temperature and salinity. These factors restricted the growth characteristics, evolution, scale and size of reefs in the Shiniulan Formation. By comparing the synchronous global reef developmental state, we found that reefs were globally distributed in Aeronian, chiefly centering on the margin of carbonate platform at warm (20~28 ℃) and tropical latitudes 25~30° north and south. The reefs in the corresponding periods were dispersed in Laurentia, Siberia and Kazakhstan Block. However, there are great differences in the developmental characteristics, evolution and extension scale comparing with the reefs (Early Silurian) in the Paleo-Ocean of Upper Yangtze Region.