Abstract: A fundamentally important issue in ageing societies is how to define“old age”and“elderly”people. Upon reviewing historical experience and clarifying practical requirements，this paper presents a theoretical framework of the definition of“elderly”and outlines its dynamic standard and scientific basis. Productive state，healthy state and disability-free state reflecting the different cognitive styles of“elderly”from the diverse dimensions of production and life should be taken into consideration when rethinking the definition system of“elderly”at distinct levels. With economic and social development，there is a need to redefine “elderly”from the different dimensions of production and life by constructing the productive state，healthy state and disability-free state life tables on the basis of the social surveys，making the age threshold of the elderly well-founded. Redefining“elderly”would contribute to repainting the blueprint of ageing research and reconstructing the patterns of ageing societies，enabling societies to deal with the ageing challenges more effectively.

Keywords: Definition of Elderly, Life Table, Productive State, Healthy State, Disability-free State

摘要： 老年定义在老龄社会中是事关基础、涉及全局的问题。文章在总结老年定义历史经验、明确老年定义现实要求的基础上，建构老年定义的理论框架、提出老年定义的动态标准和科学依据。从“年轻”状态到“健康”状态再到“自理”状态，是一个关系清楚、层级鲜明的老年定义体系，代表着社会经济领域中从生产方面到生活方面对老年的不同认知。基于专门的社会调查，分别构建“年轻”状态、“健康”状态和“自理”状态生命表，文章从生产生活的不同维度上定义老年，动态、科学地反映当前经济社会发展的需要，使得用年龄为老年划线更加有理有据。定义的改变将重新绘制老龄研究蓝图、重新建构老龄社会形态，更有效设计应对老龄社会的制度与政策。

关键词: 老年定义, 生命表, 年轻状态, 健康状态, 自理状态