【正文】 ory elements as well as optional elements with which it is associated. Hasan (1985) thinks that the generic structure potential of a genre is a highly condensed abstract model concluded from many individual texts, which describes all the possible textual structures of a genre type. She believes this potential covers obligatory elements and optional elements. Obligatory elements determine the genre type to which a text belongs, while optional elements result in the changes of a genre. Hasan argues that the generic structure of a genre should be established in a perspective of semantics or function, which is in accordance with ESP schools understanding of generic structure through move analysis. The Identification of Generic UnitsMove and Step This study adopts the approaches based on the generic structure analysis and Hasan’s generic structure potential (GSP) to explore the generic structure of the New Year’s Editorials. After a detailed study of all the 65 New Year’s Editorials (194920xx), it is easy to find that the following 15 units appear frequently: (1) Announcement of the ing of a new year (2) Expression of sentiments on the occasion (3) Greetings (4) Looking back on the past year (5) Comments upon the present situation (6) Glorifying the achievements made in the past year (7) Pointing out the existing problems (8) The exaltation of the Chinese people and some influential men in the history (9) Targets and tasks for the New Year (10) Domestic as well as foreign policy 10 (11) Guiding principles and thoughts (12) Appeals to the audience (13) Plea for unity (14) Plea for action and dedication (15) Expression of confidence in a bright future for the country The examination of the New Year’s Editorials also shows that the above discussed information frequently occurs in a relatively stable structural order. In order to analyze the generic structure of the New Year’s Editorials, the paper adopts genre analysis approach to analyze the New Year’s Editorials. The generic structure is realized through moves and steps. As observed by DudleyEvans (1994), moves tend to occur in a predictable order. The predictability of move order makes generalization possible. According to Swales school, genre analysis should be based on move and step and some moves may be realized by several steps. Move and step have clear purpose and function in achieving municative purpose. The paper divides these 15 units into 5 moves according to its function in munication purpose. Unit 1 is move1。 however, in the third period China was undergoing the Cultural Revolution, the Chinese people admired Chairman Mao very much and participated in the Cultural Revolution. Hence, people have feelings to express when the New Year es. It can be seen clearly that the frequency of move 5 in the second period is the lowest and in the fifth period is the highest. The following reasons can explain it. In the second period, China was in tough period and was exploring the ways to develop socialism. People had no much confidence on the future of China. Besides, the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics was not proposed in this period. Nevertheless, in the fifth period China found the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics which was suitable to China situation. Moreover, the people’s living standards had been improved and the Chinese had confidence on the bright future for the country, and the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics was proposed in this period. Therefore, the frequency of move 5 was the 14 highest in this period pared with other periods. 6. Conclusion With the theory of systemic functional grammar as theoretical background, the present study takes the New Year’s Editorials as study object and conducts a diachronic study from high frequency key words, title and generic structure aspects. The changes of these three aspects in each period have close relationship with the social situations. Through this study, it is clear that social changes influence the New Year’s Editorials and the variation of the New Year’s Editorials, and to some extent, the variation of the New Year’s Editorials also affect the changes of social situations. Thus, this study reaches a conclusion that discourse and social changes。 move 3 consists of unit 4 to unit 8。 therefore, at the end of 1960, the government began to adjust policy to develop economy. The economy of China began to recover after the adjustment, however, the leaders of the Communist Party made another big mistake in the following years. The third period is a serious setback for China’s social development, for the leaders of 6 the CPC Central Committee made a wrong understanding on the political environment, and launched the Cultural Revolution. During this period, people blindly admired Chairman Mao. Therefore, “the proletariat”, “the Cultural Revolution”, “the proletarian dictatorship”, “Chairman Mao” and “Mao Zedong Thought” these words appeared frequently. In the fourth period, the Third Plenary Session of the Party ended the “l(fā)eftist” mistakes in the Communist Party. The Communist Party of China reestablished the Marxist ideological, political and anizational lines and focused on solving problems. The leader Deng Xiaoping insisted to reform, focusing on economic construction, and carried out the Reform and Opening up. The society became stable gradually. Therefore, “adjustment”, “Reform and Opening up”, “economic construction”, “stability” and “ socialism with Chinese characteristics” are the main points of the New Year’s Editorials in that period. In the fifth period, with China’s rapid economic development and stable political environment, the Communist Party of China was more concerned about the people, focused on improving people’s living standards and promoting