The term "golden spike" (also known as a Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point, or GSSP) refers to a global standard for dividing geological ages and strata. Among the more than 80 “golden spikes” currently identified in the world, 11 of them are in China, with seven of them defined by the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology.

The first "golden spike" in China was defined by a team led by CAS Member CHEN Xu from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology.