士绅是古代中国社会中的精英阶层，他们不仅具有较高的社会地位和声望，而且在诸多社会事务，尤其是地方社会事务中发挥着重要的作用，即所谓“官不能离开绅而有所作为”也。作为一个特殊阶层，士绅不仅在其养成、职业选择、社会理想、人生追求等方面与士人的优良传统和儒家教义相吻合，而且与封建统治者的社会治理需求相适应。尽管，不同时期、不同地域的士绅阶层在数量多寡、功名高低、仕进方式、社会贡献、文化成就等方面表现出明显的地域差异，然而，通过刻苦攻读而获取功名的理想与实践，通过立德立功立言与社会交换的职业选择，关注地方事务，尤其是对家乡事务的自觉参与等，在这些方面他们是趋同的。因此，作为士绅阶层的一个重要组成部分，清代甘肃士绅也表现出明显的地域特征。例如，清朝时期的甘肃囊括甘宁青新的地域特色、社会动荡频仍的时代特色都在其人求学、科考、仕进等方面有所体现。可以说，清代甘肃士绅既具有作为这一阶层的共性，也有地处西北社会的特性。首先，甘肃落后的经济、教育发展水平导致士绅阶层的数量与同时期江浙等富庶地区相比相对较少，但是甘肃民族成分的多样性也使得士绅群体的民族成分呈现出多样性特征。此外，在士绅身份的获得途径上，科举考试依然是甘肃读书人获取士绅身份的主要途径，但通过军功奖叙而取得士绅身份以及做官资格，既是甘肃士绅获取士绅身份的一个重要途径，也是其地处西北边疆，在社会动荡不断的客观情况下向上流动的一个捷径。从社会职责来看，士绅忧国忧民的传统使得他们不但关注社会事务，而且在许多地方事务中发挥着实际的领导作用。

The gentry were the elite class in ancient Chinese society, they not only had a high social status and prestige, but also played an important role in many social affairs, especially local social affairs, that is, the so-called "officials cannot leave the gentry and make a difference". As a special class, the gentry not only coincided with the fine traditions and Confucian teachings of the gentry in terms of their cultivation, career choice, social ideals, and life pursuits, but also adapted to the social governance needs of the feudal rulers. Although the gentry classes in different periods and regions show obvious regional differences in terms of number, meritorious reputation, way of advancement, social contribution, cultural achievement, etc., they converge in these aspects, such as the ideal and practice of obtaining meritorious fame through hard study, the career choice of meritorious speech and social exchange, and the concern for local affairs, especially the conscious participation in hometown affairs. Therefore, as an important part of the gentry class, the gentry in Gansu in the Qing Dynasty also showed obvious regional characteristics. For example, the Gansu in the Qing Dynasty, which included the regional characteristics of Ganning and Qingxin, and the characteristics of the times with frequent social turmoil, were reflected in its people's study, scientific investigation, and advancement. It can be said that the gentry in Gansu in the Qing Dynasty not only had the commonality of being this class, but also had the characteristics of being located in the northwest society. First of all, Gansu's backward economic and educational development level has led to a relatively small number of gentry classes compared with rich areas such as Jiangsu and Zhejiang in the same period, but the diversity of ethnic components in Gansu also makes the ethnic composition of gentry groups show diverse characteristics. In addition, in terms of the way to obtain gentry status, the imperial examination is still the main way for Gansu students to obtain gentry status, but obtaining gentry status and official qualifications through military merit awards is not only an important way for Gansu gentry to obtain gentry status, but also a shortcut for upward mobility in the objective situation of continuous social turmoil in the northwest frontier. From the point of view of social duties, the gentry's tradition of worrying about the country and the people has enabled them not only to pay attention to social affairs, but also to play a practical leadership role in many local affairs.（AI翻译）