漢宋之爭是清代中期學術的重要問題。目前，絕大多數的學者都同意，乾隆時配合《四庫全書》的修撰而編纂的《四庫全書總目》，在漢宋之學的爭執後，其基本態度是支持漢學，並且對宋學採取貶抑的傾向。 但是，較少為人注意的是，乾隆皇帝在乾隆三十七年下詔編輯《四庫全書》時，其實關心的並非漢學而是宋學。詔書中要求蒐集的書籍，以闡明心性之學、有關治道人心的宋學著作為重點；其次纔是發揮傳注、考覈典章的漢學專著以及諸子百家之言。這些宋學以外的著作，必須合乎實用原則，纔考慮收入。就此而言，乾隆帝原本要求的是宋學，注重的是實價值。然而《四庫全書》館開館後，館臣「稟承上意」所編寫出來的《四庫全書總目》，卻成為批判宋學、標榜漢學考證的著作。這與乾隆皇帝的本意明顯的不同。箇中原因究竟何在？乾隆皇帝何以又能接受這種轉變？這的確耐人尋味。本文之作，用意有二，一方面嘗試就現存可靠的文獻資料中，尋找合理的解釋，以解決這個問題。另一方面則探討《四庫全書總目》在漢宋之學消長過程中所扮演的角色。

The debate between Han Learning and Sung Learning was an important scholarly issue in the mid-Ch’ing dynaty. Currently most scholars concur that the Annotated Catalog, which was complied and edited in the Ch’ien-lung period to accompany the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries, basically supported the position of Han Leaning in that debate, even taking the direction of repressing Sung Learning. However, what has been less noticed is that, when the Ch’ien-lung emperor decreed the editing of the Complete Library of the Four Treasures in the thirty-seventh year of his reign (1772), what mattered was not Han, But Sung learning. The works which were decreed to be collected were to be centered around Sung Learning works on the study of mind and nature, as well as on government and humanity; and in addition there were to be Han Learning works of annotations and evidential scholarship on regulations and edicts, together with works of philosophers. There works outside of Sung Learning had to be in accord with useful purposes in order to be considered for inclusion. From this standpoint, the Ch’ing-lung emperor’s original request was for Sung Learning, and most importantly for something of practical value. Despite this, after the opening of the office of the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries, the Annotated Catalog as produced by its officials” in accord with the wishes of the emperor,” instead criticized Sung Learning and promoted the woks of evidential scholarship according to Han Learning. This clearly differed from the original intent of the emperor. Why was this, and how would the emperor have been able to accept this kind of change? This is definitely a problem worth serous consideration. The goal of this study is to find a reasonable explanation which might resolve this problem using reliable textual materials. At the same time, this study will discuss the Complete Library of the four Treasuries itself, and how it stands in the process of the ebb and flow of Han and Sung Learning.