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Natural fractures are an important storage space and main seepage channel of shale gas reservoirs, controlling the permeability of shale gas reservoirs and the migration, enrichment, preservation conditions and single-well productivity of shale gas. The successful production of shale gas has shown that the development of natural fractures in shale is beneficial, and a high degree of natural fracture development can allow a large-scale fracture network to form in the process of hydraulic fracturing, which can effectively improve the shale reservoir conditions. The development of fractures in shale reservoirs not only effectively improves the permeability of shale reservoirs but also increases the gas content, improving the productivity of shale reservoirs. Therefore, the degree of shale fracture development is the key to the production of shale gas reservoirs. Through the outcrop, shale core, thin section and scanning electron microscopy observations of the Longmaxi shale in the Fenggang block of Guizhou Province and the experimental data analysis of the corresponding samples, the fracture characteristics are statistically analyzed, and the fracture development characteristics and dominant factors are discussed in depth. The study area is located in the complex tectonic area of southern China, which experienced a strong tectonic deformation and a high degree of fracture development. The multiscale characterization of Longmaxi shale fractures indicates the following: the fractures observable in the field are mainly regional structural fractures, fold-related fractures, fault-related fractures and bedding fractures; additionally, the statistical analysis of core fractures shows that the structural fractures, including high-angle shear fractures, tension-shear fractures, and low-angle slip fractures are dominant and that most of them are filled with calcite; the micro-fractures are mainly intragranular fractures and intergranular fractures, and the fracture aperture is 0.01–2 μm. The degree of fracture development is controlled by structural factors, lithology, mineral composition and content, TOC, rock mechanical properties, paleoenvironment and diagenesis, and the structural factors are the most influential. The gentle transition zone of a fold limb is a favorable position for shale gas structure preservation. Fractures significantly impact the formation of seepage channels and storage space and the connection of isolated micro-pores, so the degree of fracture development has a positive relationship with the total and analytical gas contents. • The developmental characteristics of reservoir and fractures in Longmaxi shale. • The effects of fractures on shale reservoirs and gas contents. • The controlling factors and their interrelations of fractures in shales. • Summarized the favorable position for shale gas structure preservation and fracture development model of Longmaxi shale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]