本文之主旨在論述《太平御覽》、《事物紀原》、《錦繡萬花谷》、《古今合璧事類備要》和《全芳備祖集》等五部分別編成於北宋和南宋的類書中有關草木花果的記載。類書的起源雖然甚早，然而，到了宋代，不論是數量或是所針對的功能性，都較前代更加發達，開啟了類書發展的新時代，也表現出不同以往的知識分類體系。在《太平御覽》、《太平廣記》、《冊府元龜》和《文苑英華》等四大官修類書成卷之後，宋代類書的編纂權便落到了士大夫的手中。士大夫所編的類書，除了以科舉考試相關的知識為主要內容外，也蘊含當代主流思想的內容。稍早的宋代類書大體上是依循《太平御覽》的模式來記錄草木花果類的內容，到了南宋末年，開始發生變化。「理學」的取得了當代學術思想的主流地，也影響了類書的書寫。南宋末年的類書編纂者，在編寫動植物的內容時，運用了「格物」的概念。朱熹對《大學》中「格物」一詞的新解，原來是要在自然界的萬事萬物中發現「理」，進而提升個人的道德修養。類書的編者將之加以應用，仔細地描述各種草木花果的名稱、形狀、來源和變化，發展出元明以後，用「格物」來收編知識、討論知識的傳統。

To discuss the description of plants in Imperial Digest (Taiping yulan 太平 御覽), Records of the Origins of Things (Shiwu jiyuan 事物紀原), Valley of Splendid Flowers (Jinxiu wanhuagu 錦繡萬花谷), Composition of the Important Events from Ancient to Present (Gujin hebi shilei beiyao 古今合 璧事類備要) and Flower Origins (Quanfang beizu ji 全芳備祖集) are the purposes of the article. They were made separately in Northern Sung and Southern Sung Dynasty. Chinese encyclopedias (Leishu) come from early dynasty, but either numbers or functions which both were more prosperous than before and made a turning point during the Sung dynasty and developed a new classed systems of knowledge. After Imperial Digest (Taiping yulan 太平御覽), Extensive Records of the Reign of Great Tranquillity (Taiping guangji 太平廣記), Models from the Archives (Cefy yuangui 冊府元龜)and Finest Flowers of the Preserve of Letters (Wenyuan yinghua 文苑英華)were compiled completely, the Sung court stopped compiling some things like those, and the elites took the place of the court. Beside edited for civil examination, the encyclopedias which the elites compiled also embraced the ideas of the time. Generally speaking, the encyclopedias in early Sung dynasty molded on Imperial Digest to take down the natural objects including the plants. By the end of the Southern Sung dynasty, the details of contents have been transformed. Because of the success of the Neo- Confucianism (li xue 理學) produced much effects on the edition of encyclopedias. Zhu Xi gave the term-research into things (Ge wu 格物)-new meanings which he wished people will discover the principle by researched into the natural objects and events and promote their moral-cultivated then. The compilers applied the method of research into things to describe the pants including their names, shapes, origins and changes. By the Yuan and Ming dynasty, the intellectuals were used to use the term-Ge wu-to interpret the knowledge. It became a tradition in Ming and Ching dynasty.