Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) on quartz is a well-established technique for dating the Late Pleistocene to Late Holocene sediments, and it has become widely applicable to unraveling sedimentary evolution. The central basin of the South China Sea has historically lacked a high-resolution chronological framework for core samples and shallow strata, which significantly hampers research on sedimentary evolution history as well as paleoceanography and paleoclimate studies in this area. This study applied OSL dating and grain size analysis to analyze the upper 15 m core samples from the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1431A. Results show that sediments are mainly clay or clayey silt with an average grain size of no more than 30 μm. Since the Late Pleistocene, the maximum OSL age at the bottom is ∼100.1 ± 7.9 ka, and the minimum age at the top is ∼10.7 ± 0.7 ka. A high-resolution age model of Site U1431A has been constructed, confirming that the Toba volcanic eruption occurred ∼74 ka. Additionally, multiple turbidite events have been identified during the interglacial/interstadial periods, resulting in a rapid increase in sedimentation rates. It is hypothesized that these turbidite events are primarily driven by earthquakes and volcanic processes near the Manila Trench. The sedimentation rate in the central basin of the South China Sea shows a clear stadial-interstadial cycle with a relatively small relationship to sea level changes. During the glacial/stadial periods, the sedimentation rate can be as low as ∼2 cm/ka. In contrast, during the interglacial/interstadial periods, this rate may increase to ∼50 cm/ka. This significant variation is closely linked to fluctuations in the intensity of the East Asian monsoon.