宋恕係晚清著名思想家，因受宋代永嘉學派經世致用之學影響，致力改革不合理的社會政治制度。曾赴上海、南京與杭州等地遊歷，因親眼目睹受戰亂波及之城鎮與上海租界的繁盛，其間強烈對比更堅定其改革精神。先後謁見張之洞、李鴻章等人，冀期能實現維新變法，以達“除周後之弊，反秦前之治，塞東鄰之笑，禦西土之侮”，但均未獲重視。 宋恕之思想資源除鄉學永嘉學派、佛學與西學外，東學更是其中重要一環。早在1887年，隨岳父孫鏘鳴至上海、南京等地之書院協助襄校課卷時，即利用課暇，尋求日本史書，考究明治維新經驗。之後更藉由朋友介紹，認識多位來華日人。除與之借閱日本書籍外，更利用筆談方式談學論道。此外，亦曾將日本人介紹給俞樾、孫寶瑄等師友認識。1903年，宋恕前往日本參訪，受到日本學者熱烈歡迎。此次參訪經驗，益增強學習日本的看法。其後，宋恕更欲以日本文字、語法為藍本，改革中國文字，顯見師法日本的精神。 宋恕嘗自云：“百年心醉扶桑者，我是支那第一人”，深刻道出其思想特質，亦間接指出其與日本的密切關係。本研究意欲透過宋恕為考察核心，旁及其師友網絡，深入探究宋恕之日本觀，與其建構之師友網絡在生活、學術與思想資源等面向中，發揮何種作用。

Song shu is a famous thinker in late Qing dynasty. Because the influence of the statecraft thoughts of the Yong-Jia School in the Sung Dynasty, Song shu was devoted to reform the absurd political and social system. He once went to Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangchow. Because of eyewitness the contrast between the city that in a chaos caused by war and the prosperous Shanghai, Song shu was more confirmed his consciousness of reform. Successively Song shu met Chang chi-dong, Li hong-chang etc., in order to fulfill the reform. But do not be taken seriously. Besides Yong-Jia School, Buddhism and western knowledge, eastern knowledge was also an important part in Song shu's thoughts. He began to read Japan history and investigate the experience of Ming-ji Reform in 1887. Through friends introduced, Song shu acquainted some Japanese in China and communicated by writing. In 1903 when Song shu visited Japan, Japanese scholars greeted him. This visit experience increased him to learn from Japan. The research would Investigate Song shu's concept of Japan and looking for teachers and friends' network in his life, learning and thoughts.