Carbonate platforms underwent several interruptions of sedimentary process, subaerial dissolution and karstification during their formation and development in Jianghan Plain and its neighboring areas because of multistage relative sea-level descent in Sinian, Palaeozoic and early Mesozoic. The carbonate rocks are corroded further by subterranean thermal water after burial. The palaeokarst in the studied area is divided into hypergenic depositional karst, the palaeoweathering crust karst and the burial thermal-water karst. The hypergenic depositional karst is characterized by ground residual deposits or selective dissolution pores (or casting pores) related to short-term depositional interruptions. The palaeoweathering crust karst generally shows weathered layers and obvious belts of karstification in vertical because of long-term exposure. The burial thermal-water karst displays nonselective dissolution pores and dissolution fissures caused by subterranean thermal-water corrosion. It is considered that main factors of controlling karstification development in the carbonate platforms are paleoclimate, eustatic sea level changes, palaeotopography, tectonic event, etc. The relationship of paleokarst and reservoirs is discussed also.