Abstract: Qualitative spatial reasoning （QSR） is an important component of qualitative reasoning and spatial reasoning. Topology and shape are key problems in QSR research.In this paper, a generic hierarchical framework for qualitative spatial reasoning is first proposed to improve and develop the existing frameworks of qualitative spatial reasoning. Then some results about topology and shape researches in QSR are provided to demonstrate the validity and rationality of the hierarchical framework. Finally the gist and the open problems of the hierarchical framework are outlined.