How does sociology contribute to memory studies? What makes sociology of memory possible and useful? This paper differentiates two types of sociology of memory, one in the narrow sense and one in the broad sense, and points out the theoretical and epistemological significance of the enterprise. By analyzing representative theories of memory in American sociology, this paper summarizes five epistemological approaches to studying memory: the Durkheimi? an/social- functional approach, the discursive- interpretative approach, the ac? tion-interaction approach, the formal- structural approach, and the individualcollected approach. As a nascent field, the study of memory in Chinese sociology has also contributed to memory studies through its“field- relational”approach. A dialogue between American and Chinese sociology would contribute theoretical and epistemological wisdom to studying memory in general