Abstract: This paper endeavors to elucidate a central theme in Marcel Granet’s oeuvres：the issue of social cohesion and its evolution. This inquiry should be situated firstly within the academic context of the methodological debate between sociology and history in France at the beginning of the twentieth century. As a disciple of L’Année sociologique，Granet aimed to reconstruct ancient Chinese history through a sociological lens，thereby pioneering a historiographical paradigm that was non-individualistic，indifferent to chronology，and dedicated to uncovering objective laws. Granet observes a shift from the principle of reciprocity within marriage groups in the peasant era to the principle of political prestige in the mythological era，culminating in the overlapping of multiple forms and principles of social cohesion during the feudal order. During this period，the principle of prestige was supplanted and balanced by the principle of honor. At this time，the political group and the kinship group were also completely indistinguishable from each other. Through his analysis of Chinese history，Granet employed sociological theories to interpret historical materials，thereby challenging the epistemological and political foundations of traditional historiography. His study of feudalism，in particular，reflects his response to contemporary political concerns. It is crucial to recognize that Granet’s interpretation of ancient China stands in stark contrast to the traditions established by the Chinese historiographical revolution of the 20th century. This divergence not only explains why Granet’s work has been misinterpreted and neglected but also underscores the necessity of reassessing his academic contributions. Granet’s innovative use of Chinese texts to deduce various forms of social cohesion offers a viable methodology for applying modern social sciences to the study of classical Chinese texts. Furthermore，his work provides profound theoretical insights that are instrumental in reinterpreting the history of ancient China.

Key words: Marcel Granet, social cohesion, evolution, reciprocity, prestige, honor