The Qiling Basin in the southwestern part of Hunan Province is an important Permian manganese ore metallogenic belt in China, with huge resource potential. However, the lack of understanding of its sedimentary environment characteristics and evolutionary patterns has restricted further breakthroughs in mineral exploration. This study aims to systematically reveal the sedimentary system characteristics of the Gufeng Formation, the manganese ore enrichment patterns, and their constraints by the sedimentary paleogeographic evolution, providing scientific support for regional mineral exploration and target area selection. The study primarily focused on the core samples from three boreholes (Shuibutou, Xinzhaili, and Maozhu) in the Qiling Basin. A combination of sedimentology and petrology analysis methods, along with detailed stratigraphic correlation of manganese-bearing rock series, was used for the systematic study of the Gufeng Formation. The results indicate that: (1) The Gufeng Formation as a whole develops a carbonate platform-slope-foreland basin sedimentary system. The open platform subfacies is characterized by bioclastic limestone and trough cross-bedding. The platform edge slope subfacies is dominated by nodular limestone and mudstone interbedding, with spongiolites and siliceous radiolarians. The foreland basin subfacies is marked by black carbonaceous mudstone interbedded with rhodochrosite. (2) The Gufeng Formation can be divided into two members from bottom to top, with the manganese-rich interval developed in the upper member, where the manganese ore grade ranges from 8% to 22%. Manganese ores mainly occur in the black shale or manganese-bearing limestone in the platform and slope environments. The platform area is dominated by granule rhodochrosite, while the slope area is characterized by idiomorphic rhodochrosite. (3) The vertical sedimentary evolution sequence clearly shows that the Gufeng Formation underwent a complete cycle from platform → slope → platform → platform/foreland basin → platform, recording two significant sea-level fluctuations. (4) The temporal and spatial distribution of manganese-bearing rock series in the Gufeng Formation is controlled by regional differential subsidence and global sea-level fluctuations. This study systematically clarifies the sedimentary environmental characteristics, evolutionary patterns, and their relationship with manganese ore enrichment, providing key sedimentological basis for target area selection in regional mineral exploration.