本文是以皮爾士(Charles Sanders Peirce, 1839-1914)的記號學方法來探討《周易》中「爻象」、「卦象」與「辭象」等三個「象」系統及其思維方式，旨在了解傳統文化中之經典圖像的結構與內涵。爲達此目的，本文透由「文獻探討法」與皮爾士的「記號學方法」交叉運用，針對《周易》〈經〉中「象」之實體，輔以〈傳〉中「象」概念加以探究，以確實把握《周易》「象」的定義及其思維方式。複次，就《周易》中「象」及其「指涉物」的相對關係，進一步探究其性質。研究結果顯示，在此一問題中，《易》「象」中每一個「象」系統均包含了「象」、「對象」與「意義」三者，也就是說，《易》「象」結構具有記號三元關係之思維。另外，本文亦發現，「象」的形式遞增，內容遞減，並由此可初步證實，《易》「象」除了是一套有意味的圖像系統外，其思維方式或許是傳統文化史上第一套系統化的「記號」理論。再者，《易》「象」的取象方式是相對較接近於對自然實體的模仿，「象」本身與其「對象」間的相應關係是較傾向於「肖象」的性質。本文之探討或有利視覺圖像設計領域之研究者與創作者在傳統圖像與文化記號的基礎研究與參考。

The purpose of this study is to introduce Peircean (Charles Sanders Peirce, 1839-1914) terms and theories of signs in relation to the thinking of Xiang in the I-Ching in an attempt to help people to understand the development of signs in Chinese traditional culture. For achieving the above purpose the literary review is applied to obtain the meanings and relevant content interpretations of the Xiang in the I-Ching with a semiotics methodology applied to analyze ideas of signs and the thinking of Xiang in the I-Ching. The results of this study show two points that might be helpful in explaining how to work by applying the ideas and theories outlined for people in the field of Art and Design. First, the Xiangs really stand for something in some respect. The Xiangs stand for a genuine triadic relation to their objects. If the Xiangs' forms are less, however, their meanings will be more. Therefore, the Xiangs might be called first sign system in Chinese culture in the view of Semiotics. Next, the Xiangs relate to their objects by way of some characteristic resemblance that they possess.