Abstract: The Gongliunan Fault is located along the southern boundary of the Yining Basin. Together with the Kashi River Fault, it controls the formation and evolution of the Yining Basin, as well as the deposition and deformation of Cenozoic strata within the basin. As a major fault in Xinyuan County, its Late Quaternary activity is of great significance for assessing the seismic hazard in the region. This study first employed deep and shallow seismic exploration to reveal the location and deep geometric characteristics of the Gongliunan Fault. Subsequently, geological outcrops and trench profiles were utilized to determine the shallow surface position of the fault and define its structural style. Finally, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating was applied to determine the activity age of the Gongliunan Fault. By integrating multiple methods-including deep and shallow seismic exploration, geological section research, and OSL dating-this study is the first to clearly demonstrate that the Gongliunan Fault is dominated by thrust activity, thereby revealing its deep and shallow structural features as well as its Holocene activity patterns.The Gongliunan Fault strikes approximately EW, dips southward, and has a dip angle ranging from 20° to 67°, exhibiting a forward-propagating thrust structural model. The fault has a vertical slip rate of 0.12 mm/a and a dip-slip rate of 0.21 mm/a, indicating weak activity during the Late Quaternary. Located within the seismogenic structure of the Awulale Mountains, the maximum potential magnitude of the Gongliunan Fault is estimated to be between 6.9 and 7.5 , based on its surface rupture length and maximum surface displacement.