陳榮捷在1975年曾發表過一篇極有影響力的文章，在該文中其發現，17世紀的程朱學說整體而言呈現出較為理性主義、嚴守道統、及捨形上學概念而就具體論題的趨勢。雖然學界目前已有許多重要作品係針對清朝初葉不同面向的程朱學說進行研究，陳氏的主張30多年來卻幾乎未曾受到質疑。 本文藉由比較13世紀和18世紀的兩本重要著作：《朱子語類》和《朱子全書》，重新檢視正統程朱學說重心的轉移，比先前陳榮捷由《性理大全》到《性理精義》的轉向所產生的研究成果，更能得到精確的圖像。本文重新證實陳氏的許多主張，例如：《朱子全書》的確展現更為理性主義的精神、包含更具體的科學性知識、以及更強調學習方法的重要性。但是，傳統儒家所關心的人性、理（性理）、理氣、鬼神（以及理氣範疇裡的太極和陰陽兩儀）仍然具有重要性。因此，正統程朱學派思維的基本傾向其實並沒有太大改變，至少在官方所主導編纂的程朱儒家典籍來說是如此。

In an influential paper published to 1975, Wing-tsit Chan found several new trends in seventeenth-century Ch'eng-Chu orthodoxy: increased emphasis on the concrete topics at the cost of such metaphysical concepts as human nature (hsing 性), decree (ming 命), li 理, and ch'i 氣; more rationalistic trends; and stronger adherence to the idea of tao-t'ung 道統. Chan's claims have gone largely unchallenged since they were made nearly three decades ago, although there have been significant works on various aspects of the early Ch'ing period. In this paper, I will re-examine the shifts in priorities and emphases of orthodox Ch'eng-Chu learning by comparing two important compilations of the thirteenth and the eighteenth centuries; the Chu-tzu yü-lei 朱子語類 and the Chu-tzu ch' üan-shu 朱子全書. The result of my study yields a picture more nuanced than what Wing-tsit Chan found in his study of the shift from the Hsing-li ta-ch' üan 性理大全 to the Hsing-li ching-i 性理精義. To be sure, many of Chan's findings are reconfirmed: the Ch' üan-shu did show an increased rationalistic spirit, did contain more concrete scientific knowledge, and did emphasize the importance of the method of learning. At the same time, however, the traditional Confucian concerns of human nature and li (hsing-li), li-ch'I, and kuei-shen (and the supreme ultimate and yin-yang within the category of li-ch'i) were still important. The basic orientation--priorities and emphases--of the orthodox thought of the Ch'eng-Chu School turns out to have not changed very much after all, least in the government-initiated compilations of the orthodox Ch'eng-Chu Confucians.