A simple two-step vapor phase method is presented to fabricate ZnS/ZnO hierarchical nanostructures in bulk quantities. That is ZnS nanobelts were first synthesized and then used as substrate for growth of ZnO nanorod arrays. Investigation results demonstrate chat the polar surfaces of ZnS nanobelts could induce a preferred asymmetric growth of ZnO nanorods on the side surfaces. But it is believed that if the local concentration of ZnO was high enough, ZnO nanorods could also grow symmetrically on the top/bottom surface of the ZnS nanobelts. The optical property of the products was also recorded by means of photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.