Since the 1980s，regional history studies have developed steadily in Mainland China， and more and more researchers have been drawn to theoretical issues concerned. The regional history approach contains significance of methodology， especially as manifested in acknowledging the exact meaning of a ″region，″requesting a close relevance to social history， and revealing certain historical rules in imperial China， and so forth. First， the regional history approach asks researchers to not only delineate the region in terms of scientificity and normality but also treat the region as results of historical evolution，and then think about the region’s formation and changes． Second， as far as methodology is concerned， the regional history approach should be applied with approaches of social history and integral history. It makes great contribution to focuses on geographical space， whereas its down top perspective acquires more importance in methodology. This integral perspective stresses history as a whole， quite different from the national-history vision of grand narratives. On the one hand， the regional history approach emphasizes integral consideration of various factors that affect the course of history. On the other hand， its goal sharply differs from nature-seeking orientated studies． Finally， the ultimate objective of the regional history approach is to reveal certain rules of historical development in imperial China by presenting logics of historical developments of all regions. It asks researchers to pay close attention to the relationship between different regions as well as the region and the empire. On the one hand， researchers should examine the relationship between one region and other regions， especially in its adjoining areas， important regions（e.g. the capital） and even ones beyond the empire. On the other hand， researchers should deal with the relationship between the region and the empire. Researchers should not be satisfied with discussing the local region exclusively. Based on an entire understanding of the regional historical development， they further need to look into the variety and changeability shadowed by the grand discourse of a ″unified″ China．