朱淑真生卒年代及生平事蹟，歷來未能論定。早期學者收集資料大多不夠完備，常據少數證據推論，致有偏頗或誤判。近代學者(尤其自1980年後)多能廣旌資料，縝密比對，有更新更可靠之論證，然而依舊留有不少疑問。今依循近人已有成果，再對未定論者作探討，對誤斷者作修正，以推出較合理之觀點或結論。 到底她是宋代何時人，說法不一。一說以為是北宋人，指朱氏曾有五首詩送給魏夫人，而魏夫人即北宋宰相曾布妻。一說以為是內宋朱熹之姪女。一說認為是南宋初年人。一說持未定態度。前二說瑕疵甚多，第三說最可信，而本文對四者皆有批駁與論證。朱氏與夫不諧，不止於傳聞，作品中即顯有證據。後來是否仳離，迄無明證可論定，然曾隨夫宦遊淮南、湖南、獨居甚久，別有情遇諸事，可一一舉證。別說或謂其投水而死，亦非空穴來風。 至於朱氏作品之特色中，本文對其較少關懷社會這一點多所著墨。其作品以悲觀為主調，古來無異詞。作品少言哲理，則頗異於宋人作風。她愛寫節令習俗，時露佛道思想，實反應當時社會風貌之一面。最後本文對其寫作筆法與詩詞風格之同異，也有一番討論。

The detailed life and career of Shu-chen Chu, were still unclear to scholars for a long time. Early scholars collected the material about hers, which were almost not complete, thus, they usually cited few evidence to come to some conclusions that might get some wrong or partial aspects. Recent scholars (especially since 1980) often collected materials widely, compared and checked carefully, then came to some newer or more reliable conclusions, but still remained many doubtful points. Now according to the efforts of recent scholars’ research, the article discusses these doubtful points again, and corrects some wrong points of view, then reasons out more reasonable aspects or conclusions. What’s the exact period that Ms. Chu lived in the Sung Dynasty? There are many viewpoints. One of these opinions holds that she lived in Pei Sung (the North Sung Dynasty), because Ms. Chu and sent five poems to Madam Wei whose husband named Tseng Bu, and Tseng Bu was the prime minister of Pei Sung. The second opinion holds that Ms. Chu was a nephew of Chu His who lived in Nan Sung (the South Sung Dynasty). The third holds that Ms. Chu lived in early Nan Sung. The fourth holds unsure attitude. The former two viewpoints show many defects, the third is reliable. To all of them article gives some criticisms and discussions. Ms. Chu and her husband were disharmonious that appears in unconfirmed report, but the evidence can be found in her works obviously. And whether she had divorced or not that can’t be sure, but she lived single for a long time which can be proved. She also toured the south of Huai River and Hunan province, then, perhaps had another lover, there are some clues can be confirmed. Another opinion holds that she was drowned, also there is a clue can be found. As for the characteristics of Ms. Chu’s works, the article uses some length to discuss about that she seldom felt concern about society. And her works shows a trend of pessimism that is agreed by many scholars. Differed from the literary men of the Sung Dynasty, she seldom talked of philosophy. She loved to write about the activities of festival and custom, and sometimes showed some thought of Buddhism or Taoism, which shows a social style of that time. In the final part, the article discusses the skill of writing and the expressive style of her poems and Ts’u.