Abstract: The debate on the comprehensive and specialized development of journals of humanities and social sciences in higher institutions is still one of the hot issues in the academia.This paper probes into the inevitability, gradual evolution, feasibility and restriction factors of the specialized and the comprehensive development of journals of humanities and social sciences in higer institutions from the two dimensions of systemic-functional linguistics:realization and instantiation.The paper argues that the specialized development of the journals is inevitable, but the development of the journals forms a cline.The development of the journals follows the route of synthesis, specialty, re-synthesis, re-specialty, and so on.At a certain stage of development, the comprehensive development of the journals has its rationality.In order to be successful, the specialized development of the journals must first be supported by the host universities in terms of policy, manpower, funds, academic resources, editorial staff and so on.It also needs the support of the departments in charge in terms of specific management system and operation mechanism.The specialized development of the journals must abide by the correct political direction, adhere to the socialism core values, and fully reflect the spirit of the times.