New images of the crustal structure beneath eastern Tibet from a high-density seismic array

•A high-density seismic array was deployed in eastern Tibet with station spacing of 0.5 km.•Distinct crustal-scale geometry is presented for both sides of the Tazang fault zone.•Seismic images show the Tanzang fault zone as a nearly vertical fault that cuts through the Moho.•Images also show thick west-dipping thrust sheets beneath the Minjiang fault.•Crustal thrusting and shortening, rather than crustal flow, dominated eastward growth of the plateau.