劉向《別綠》曰：「楚有尸子，疑謂其在蜀，今按《尸子》書，晉人也，名佼，秦相衛鞅客也。衛鞅商君謀事畫計，立法理民，未嘗不與佼規之也。商君被刑，佼恐並誅，乃亡逃入蜀。自為造此二十篇書，凡六萬餘。卒，因葬蜀。」 自一九七三年長沙馬王堆出土《黃帝四經》以來，學者漸認識先秦及漢初所謂「黃老之學」的全貌，才漸理解太史公所謂「道家」為「因陰陽之大順，采儒墨之善，撮名法之要」，其實是戰國時代興起了一般整合春秋以來各家學術思想的學風。《尸子》書正如班固所言「兼儒墨，合名法」，其實還包括了老子哲學和脫離不了陰陽思想，是一本戰國時代的著作，班固無以歸類而歸類之於「雜家」。 老子的「道」是一種抽象普遍的原理原則或規律，並不是人的感官感覺所能認識的，也不是人的主觀意志所能改變的。所以，老子強調「無為」、「自然」，而「輔萬物之自然而不敢為」、「為之於未有，治之於未亂」。故《尸子》亦言：「執一之道，去智與巧。」（〈分〉）「（愛民、好士，力於朝）三者雖異，道一也。是故曰：審一之經，百事乃成；審一之紀，百事乃理。」（〈發蒙〉）「年老者使塗隙戒突，故終身無失火之而不知德。」（〈貴言〉）「不出戶而知天下，不下其堂而至四方，知反之於己者也。」（〈處道〉）「明君不用長耳目，不間諜，不強聞見，形至而觀，聲至而聽，事至而應。」（〈發蒙〉）《尸子》以這種客觀普遍的原理原則或規律來擷取和論述各家的學思想而建立自己的學說。故研究《尸子》須首先掌握其文本，進而與道、儒墨、君、法各家思想比較，以完整詮釋其思想及其論辯。

In Liu Xiang's "Other Records", it is said: "Shi Zi was in the State of Chu, but probably in (Shu) Sichuan. Now according to the book 'Shi Zi', he has the name 'Jiao' and originally from the State of Jin. He became an adviser to Wei Yang, the prime minister of Qin. He was always consulted in the administration and legislation that Wei Yang (Lord Shng) contemplated and implemented. Later, When Lord Shang was executed, Jiao fearing complicity in and fled to Sichuan. Since then, he completed this book containing 60,000 words in 20 chapters. He died in Sichuan." Since the excavation of Four Texts of the Yellow Emperor at Ma Wang Dui in Chang Sha in 1973, scholars have come to understand the full aspect of the "School of Huang Lao" from the period before Qin to the beginning of Han. What theRoyal Historian, Tai Shi Gong had characterized about "Daoism" as "bending to the alternation of Yin and Yang, adopting the positive aspects of Confucianism and Mohism, summing up the essentials of the school of Min (Names) and Fa (Legalist)," the scholars have come to appreciate this being essentially an integration of thoughts at the time of the Warring States from all previous schools since the period of Spring and Autumn. As Ban Gu said about "Shi Zi", it "incorporates Confucianism and Mohism, combining Min and Fa." In fact, it also includes the thoughts of Lao Zi and Yin Yang, and is a work from the Warring States period. Ban Gu classified it as one of the "Miscellaneous Schools." Lao Zi's "Dao" is an abstraction of prevalent principles and laws. It is not something that could be understood through sensory perception or that could be altered subjectively. Thus, Lao Zi emphasizes "non-intervention", "natural", "not to go against the nature of things", "cause over effect". Hence, "Shi Zi" also says in the chapter "Feng": "Once on the right track, no longer need wisdom and techniques.": "(care for the people, appreciate advisers, govern diligently) may appear different, but really belong to the same principle. And thus, in chapter "Fa Mung": "Once, the right analysis is made, it is applicable to every matter; once the right regulation is established, everything is so regulated." In the chapter "Qui Yan": "The old lived in a house without chimney and crack knows no fire alarm all his life." In the chapter "Chu Dao": "Know the world without setting foot outdoor, govern the world without descending his court, for the principles are the same." In the chapter "Fa Mung": "An aware Lord does not need to enhance his hearing and sight, does not need espionage does not expressly find out; for he observes when formations appears, listens when sound arrives and reacts when events transpire." "Shi Zi" assume the objectivity and universality of these principles and laws in order to distill and describe the thoughts of the different schools so as to establish its own school of thought. So it is in the study of "Shi Zi", one must grasp what in the original text and then proceed to compare it with Daoism, Confucianism, Mohism and Fa in order to fully interpret its thoughts and contentions.