《詩經》是我國最早的一部詩歌總集，其不但奠定了中國以抒情為本質的詩歌特色，對於後代各種文學形式的創作手法，以及作品本身的主題與內涵都有著深厚的影響。從《詩經》產生的先秦時代一直到戲曲成熟蓬勃的元明清時期，經歷了兩千餘年的歷史，在這段長久的時代遞變過程中，《詩經》一直被賦予甚高的評價與文學史地位；而濫觴於民間，反映著世俗生民之思想情感與生命關懷的戲曲，問世以來卻一直受到文學史家有意的貶斥。從一代有一代之文學的眼光來看，戲曲當可視為元明時期最重要的代表文學之一；自文學史傳承演進的觀點而言，戲曲在本質精神上延續了傳統文學以抒情為主的創作思維，且將古典詩文詞曲的藝術元素應運在劇本的寫作之中，並同時擁有《詩經》作為超越時代的經典文學所為人肯定的溫柔敦厚特質，以及興觀群怨作用。本論文將從後代對於《詩經》之本質精神與社會作用的接受與詮釋進行論述，進而探討明清戲曲家針對戲曲之藝術價值與社會內涵，所提出的時代觀點與見解；透過分析與串連的討論過程，說明同為中國古典文學主流傳承之下延伸出來的旁支－戲曲，與《詩經》本質精神及社會作用之間的承繼與呼應。

ShiJin, the first general poetry collection in history, not only established the lyric essence of Chinese poetry, but also placed tremendous impaction upon the creation of various literature forms and within the connotation of literature works for the following generations. Within two thousand years from pre-Qin Dynasty when ShiJin arose, to Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties where Chinese Opera flourished, Chinese Opera in essence carried the traditional lyric philosophy, applying previous artistic elements to the writing of plays while regarding ShiJin as an unprecedented classical work, for it contains the characteristic of gentleness and honesty, plus the extensive observation on public grievance. This paper aims to state the nature of ShiJin as well as to discuss its interaction with the society. Furthermore, light is shed on Chinese Opera works in Ming and Qing Dynasties, also on the opera authors' opinions about Chinese Opera's inner artistic quality and social values during the era. Through analyses and series arguments, this paper illustrates Chinese Opera's inheritance and response toward the inner spirit of ShiJin and to the social function.