Refining Signature Concepts Is a Key Dimension in Constructing a Sociological Knowledge System

Concepts, as the logical starting point of knowledge production, are the material for generating theories and knowledge systems. Just as building materials must serve the intended function of a structure, theories and knowledge systems with different functional orientations impose different requirements on the types of concepts they employ. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, “We must be adept at refining signature concepts, creating new concepts, categories, and expressions that are easily understood and accepted by the international community, and guiding international academic circles to conduct research and discussion. This work must start from disciplinary construction; every discipline must build a systematic disciplinary theory and concepts.” In recent years, refining signature concepts has increasingly become an important foundation and key link in constructing an independent knowledge system for Chinese philosophy and social sciences. An important dimension of developing socialist sociology with Chinese characteristics is to accelerate the refinement of signature concepts that integrate empirical, theoretical, historical, and civilizational dimensions.

概念作为知识生产的逻辑起点，是生成理论和知识体系的质料。正如建材要服务于建筑物的预期功能，不同功能导向的理论和知识体系也对概念类型提出了不同要求。习近平总书记指出，“要善于提炼标识性概念，打造易于为国际社会所理解和接受的新概念、新范畴、新表述，引导国际学术界展开研究和讨论。这项工作要从学科建设做起，每个学科都要构建成体系的学科理论和概念”。近年来，提炼标识性概念日益成为构建中国哲学社会科学自主知识体系的重要基础、关键环节。发展中国特色社会主义社会学的一个重要维度，就是加快提炼兼具经验、理论、历史和文明向度的标识性概念。

“Signature” (标识) refers to a mark used for identification. Unlike general concepts that are merely components of a theory, signature concepts are often generated synchronously with original theories—a theory lacking signature concepts cannot be considered original; conversely, a concept lacking original theoretical content necessarily fails to perform a signature function. From being “easily understood and accepted by the international community” to “guiding international academic circles to conduct research and discussion,” the realization of the communicative power and leading capacity of signature concepts requires them to anchor their position and seize the initiative within the global knowledge spectrum. That is, at the intersection of history and experience across ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign contexts, they must highlight the theoretical originality and cultural subjectivity of Chinese thought.

“标识”即用来识别的记号。与仅作为理论构成要素的一般性概念不同，标识性概念往往与原创性理论同步生成——缺少标识性概念的理论谈不上原创性；缺少原创性理论内涵的概念也必然不具有标识性功能。从“易于为国际社会所理解和接受”到“引导国际学术界展开研究和讨论”，标识性概念传播力引领力的发挥，要求其在世界知识谱系中锚定方位并把握主动，即在古今中西历史与经验的交汇处彰显中国思想的理论原创性与文化主体性。

Looking back at the history of Chinese sociology, Chinese sociological researchers have refined numerous analytical concepts with broad explanatory power. Among them, concepts with relatively high international influence, such as “the differential mode of association” (差序格局), “the other invisible hand” (另一只看不见的手), and “the work unit” (单位), present common patterns that can serve as references for our refinement of signature concepts. Specifically, “the differential mode of association” is a concept Fei Xiaotong used to identify the form of social relations in rural Chinese society, which is underpinned by traditional culture. In contrast with the equally ideal-typical “organizational mode of association” (团体格局), through the vivid metaphors of “concentric circles” and “ripples” versus “bundled firewood,” it presents two types of social relation patterns in China and the West. Later, through further enrichment and development by the academic community, it was widely applied in studies of social relations (structures), organizational mechanisms, institutional comparisons, and even international issues. “The other invisible hand” reveals a third mechanism influencing economic development and resource allocation, beyond the market regulation (“invisible hand”) and state intervention (“visible hand”) focused on by Western economics—namely, the transformation of social structure. This is both a result of economic growth and a driving force of social change, providing new ideas for breaking through Western theoretical bottlenecks and understanding and advancing Chinese-path modernization. “The work unit,” an important concept identifying the basic unit and overarching characteristics of Chinese society (especially Chinese cities) in a specific historical period, originated from the international academic community’s “curiosity” about a new form of social organization in socialist societies. It developed through close academic exchanges between China and abroad, with the Chinese academic community soon becoming the main force, and research encompassing both historical change and institutional transformation, as well as analysis of macro-institutional structures and internal organizational mechanisms.

回溯中国社会学发展史，我国社会学研究者曾提炼了诸多具有普遍解释力的分析性概念，其中，“差序格局”“另一只看不见的手”“单位”等具有较高国际影响力的概念所呈现的共通性图景，可为我们提炼标识性概念提供参照。具体而言，“差序格局”是费孝通用来识别以传统文化为底色的乡土中国社会关系形态的概念，在与同为理想类型的“团体格局”的对比中，通过“同心圆”“水波纹”对比“捆柴”的形象比喻，呈现了中西方存在的两类社会关系图景，后经学术界进一步丰富发展，被广泛应用于社会关系（结构）、组织机制、制度比较乃至国际问题研究中。“另一只看不见的手”揭示了在西方经济学聚焦的市场调节（“看不见的手”）和国家干预（“看得见的手”）之外的第三种影响经济发展和资源配置的机制，即社会结构转型，它既是经济增长的结果，也是社会变革的推动力量，这为突破西方理论瓶颈、理解和推进中国式现代化提供了新思路。“单位”这一识别特定历史阶段中国社会（尤其是中国城市）基本单元和总体性特征的重要概念，起自国际学术界对社会主义社会一种新社会组织形式的“好奇”，在中外密切的学术交流中获得发展，中国学术界很快成为主力，研究兼顾历史变迁与制度变革、宏观制度结构与内部组织机制分析。

The commonalities among the above three concepts are as follows: First, the concepts were refined or discovered from Chinese experiences and issues that were of common concern to both Chinese and foreign academic circles, such as the main differences between Chinese and Western social structures (relational patterns), the main driving forces of China’s economic and social development, and the structural characteristics, generative mechanisms, and historical functions of social organizations with Chinese characteristics. Second, the concepts emerged from situations where Chinese and foreign academic circles lacked sufficient explanatory mechanisms or appropriate theoretical toolkits for Chinese experiences and issues—that is, they embodied a clear awareness of theoretical dialogue between China and the West. Third, the concepts arose from the spatiotemporal context of specific historical stages and possessed long-term, overarching explanatory power, such as the analysis of the characteristics and laws of China’s social structural transformation and institutional change. Fourth, the concepts contained an insight into the deep codes of Chinese civilization, embodying a cultural subjectivity and sense of orientation that does not forget the original, absorbs from the outside, faces the future, and takes the self as the mainstay while using the foreign for one’s own purposes. In summary, the above concepts all embody the interweaving of empirical, theoretical, historical, and civilizational landscapes, and in the dialogue between China and the West, they highlight the Chinese landscape perceived by the international academic community and the shared original knowledge contributions.

上述三个概念的共通之处在于：第一，概念提炼或发现于中外学术界共同关注的中国经验和问题，如中西社会结构（关系形态）的主要差别，中国经济社会发展的主要推动力，具有中国特色的社会组织的结构特征、生成机制与历史功能。第二，概念生发于中外学术界对中国经验和问题的解释机制不足或缺少恰切的理论工具箱，即具备明确的中外理论对话意识。第三，概念产生于特定历史阶段的时空情境并具备长时段总体性解释力度，如对中国社会结构转型与体制变革特征与规律的分析。第四，概念内蕴着对中华文明深层密码的体察，具备不忘本来、吸收外来、面向未来以及以我为主、为我所用的文化主体性和方位感。概言之，上述概念皆体现了经验图景、理论图景、历史图景与文明图景的交织，并在中外对话中凸显为国际学术界所体察的中国图景、所共享的原创性知识贡献。

The empirical, theoretical, historical, and civilizational dimensions inherent in signature concepts derive from the richness and uniqueness of Chinese practice, while their vitality depends on the responsiveness of their theoretical insights to the “questions of practice.” Looking ahead, the sociological community should take the “Two Integrations” [1]1 The Two Integrations (两个结合) refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture. and the “Six Musts” [2]2 The “Six Musts” (六个必须坚持) are six principles that must be adhered to in the study and application of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era: putting the people first, maintaining self-confidence and self-reliance, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, taking a problem-oriented approach, applying systems thinking, and maintaining a global vision. as guidance, base itself on China’s actual conditions, break through methodological difficulties, and explore effective paths for refinement. “China’s actual conditions” are not abstract, fragmented, one-sided, static, or other-shaped, but concrete, continuous, holistic, developing, and self-shaped; “basing itself on” requires first clarifying “for whom” and “relying on whom”—that is, adhering to the value orientation and practical direction of putting the people first. To this end, special attention must be paid to the following aspects.

标识性概念所内涵的经验、理论、历史、文明向度，源于中国实践的丰富性和独特性，而其生命力则取决于其理论洞见对“实践之问”的回应力。面向未来，社会学界应以“两个结合”“六个必须坚持”为指引，立足中国实际，突破方法困境，探索有效提炼路径。“中国实际”不是抽象、断裂、片面、静止、他塑的，而是具体、连续、整体、发展、自塑的实际；“立足”则须首先明确“为了谁”“依靠谁”，即坚持人民至上的价值取向和实践导向。为此，需特别注意如下方面。

Use a scientific spirit to eliminate “method worship.” What particularly requires vigilance is “method worship” dominated by metaphysical thinking, which is concentrated in the tendency toward “abstracted empiricism” or “methodologism” in sociological research. The consequence is that theory becomes divorced from reality, means and ends are “inverted,” and one “sees only the trees, not the forest.” The key to eliminating this lies in recognizing the urgency of responding to the “questions of practice,” upholding the spirit of seeking truth from facts (实事求是) and seeking knowledge from reality, applying appropriate methods in identifying, diagnosing, and solving substantive problems, and continuously enhancing their applicability in the process of examining the underlying logic of methods and their boundaries of use.

以科学精神破除“方法崇拜”。尤其需要警惕的，是形而上学思维主导下的“方法崇拜”，集中体现为社会学研究中的“抽象经验主义”或“方法主义”倾向，后果是理论远离实际，手段和目的“颠倒”，“只见树木不见森林”。破除的关键，在于体察回应“实践之问”的紧迫性，秉持实事求是、从实求知的精神，在识别、研判、解决实质问题中运用适当的方法，并在检讨方法底层逻辑及其使用边界的过程中不断增强其适用性。

Use investigation and research to adjust technical means. In terms of methodology, Chinese sociological investigation and research integrate the tradition of investigation and research of the Communist Party of China, the tradition of scholarly research of Chinese scholar-officials, the Western tradition of qualitative research, and innovative methods of the digital-intelligence era. Its advantages lie in its sensitivity to the “constants” and “changes” of holistic society, its capture of social structure and the logic of social operation, and its “representation” and “tacit understanding” of complex social relations and the order of people’s hearts. The rapid development of artificial intelligence has led many researchers to increasingly use digital analysis to understand social reality, but technical means cannot replace field research. Investigation and research should be used to identify and correct possible deviations from China’s specific actual conditions in various methods of quantitative research and computational social science, and to promote scientific research that truly gathers the wisdom of the masses and “intervenes” in the lives of the masses.

以调查研究调适技术手段。中国社会学的调查研究，在方法论上融通了中国共产党调查研究传统、中国士大夫治学传统、西方质性研究传统与数智时代的创新方法。其优势在于对总体性社会“恒常”与“流变”的敏感、对社会结构和社会运行逻辑的捕捉、对复杂社会关系与人心秩序的“再现”与“意会”。人工智能的飞速发展，使不少研究者越来越以数字分析来认识社会现实，但技术手段不能代替实地调研。应以调查研究识别与矫正传统量化研究与计算社会科学研究诸方法可能出现的对中国具体实际的偏离，推动科学研究真正汇聚群众智慧、“介入”群众生活。

Use theoretical cultivation to ignite the spark of innovation. Theory is the matrix of concepts. Signature concepts are generated in the process of the Party’s theoretical innovation and the great practice of Chinese-path modernization; they are generated in the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture; and they are generated in the absorption and reference of the theoretical expressions and practical wisdom of all excellent human civilizations, past and present. For signature concepts, whether creating something from nothing or re-endowing meaning, they test the researcher’s ability to “position” themselves. Only those researchers who are well-versed in both ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign contexts can, with their academic “inspiration,” grasp the pulse of the times, and in the process of rooting in practice, identifying problems, adjusting methods, summarizing laws, and engaging in theoretical dialogue, refine signature concepts and generate original theories.

以理论修养点亮创新火种。理论是概念的母体。标识性概念生成于党的理论创新和中国式现代化伟大实践进程之中，生成于对中华优秀传统文化的创造性转化和创新性发展之中，生成于对古往今来人类一切优秀文明之理论表达与实践智慧的吸收借鉴之中。对标识性概念而言，无论是无中生有还是重新赋义，都是对研究者“定位”能力的考验，只有那些贯通古今中西的研究者，方能以其学术“灵感”把握时代脉搏，在扎根实践、识别问题、调适方法、总结规律与理论对话中提炼标识性概念、生成原创性理论。

Use issue resetting to guide the direction of refinement. Currently, reflections within the sociological community on phenomena such as “the ‘bonsai-ization’ of research scale” and “research questions being suspended by issues” all point to a lack of ability to autonomously set issues in a state of “following” and “comfort.” Raising questions is often more important than solving them. We should directly confront overarching, systematic, and forward-looking issues such as the deep structure of fine traditional Chinese culture and Chinese society, the composition and origins of urban-rural relations with Chinese characteristics, and the transformation of social structure in the digital-intelligence era. We should integrate policy discourse, academic discourse, and social discourse (across different times, spaces, groups, and occupations). In the process of transforming the “questions of practice” into academic issues for sustained in-depth study by the sociological community, we should refine signature concepts that truly serve the construction of an independent knowledge system, and promote the development of socialist sociology with Chinese characteristics through the close interaction of theory and practice.

以议题重置引领提炼方向。当前，社会学界对“研究尺度‘盆景化’”“研究问题被议题悬置”等现象的反思，皆指向在“跟随”“舒适”状态中自主设置议题能力的缺失。提出问题往往比解决问题更为重要。应直面中华优秀传统文化与中国社会的深层构造、中国特色城乡关系的构成及其源流、数智时代的社会结构变革等总体性、系统性、前瞻性问题，贯通政策话语、学术话语、社会（不同时空、群体、职业）话语，在将“实践之问”转化为社会学界持续深耕的学术议题的过程中，提炼真正服务于自主知识体系构建的标识性概念，在理论与实践的紧密互动中推动中国特色社会主义社会学发展。

(Author: Li Lingjing, Director of the Economics and Sociology Editorial Department,中国社会科学杂志社 [Social Sciences in China Press])

（作者：李凌静，系中国社会科学杂志社经济学社会学编辑部主任）

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧