費孝通先生早年提出的"差序格局"是一個極富學術創造力和生命力的本土學術概念和理論。後來的學者對這個理論進行了大量研究,取得了可觀的成果。但不少學者把"差序格局"理解為平面結構的,表述社會關係和人際關係的理論,降低了這一表述社會結構的概念和理論的格調,也大大縮小了其內涵。"差序格局"可能是一個由橫向的"差"和縱向的"序"交叉構成的立體多維的理論分析框架,這個框架大體包括"差序格局"的立體結構和人的行動實踐兩個方面,具有豐富的理論內涵,有待進一步挖掘和深入研究。

The theory of"structure of grade"advanced by Mr. Fei Xiaotong is a local academic concept and theory with great academic creativity and vitality. Many scholars have made studies on this theory with considerable achievements. Still,some scholars take it as a planar structure theory to illustrate social and interpersonal relations. This interpretation downgrades the concept and theory and reduces its connotations."Structure of grade"can be regarded as a multi-dimensional framework of theoretical analysis which is a crossed composition of horizontal differences and vertical orders. It includes three-dimensional structure and action practice of people,having rich theoretical connotations. Therefore,it deserves further exploration and research.