Since entering into a period of social transition，China has been met with more and more social demands and numerous social risks caused by social anomie and the absence of traditional culture. Increasingly complicated social problems indicate that China must abandon the traditional mode of social management characterized mainly by control and explore a new social management mode that is based on the reality in China，takes servicing society and the people as its value orientation，and adheres to the principle of transparency and the rule of law. In the institutional design，the transformation of government function，the cultivation of civil society，and the construction of an equitable and reasonable environment for the rule of law and an honest society should be the basic precondition and safeguard of innovation in social management.