本文主要討論了張載與二程兄弟在「性」「氣」關係上的不同觀點，以及由此出發而提出的不同工夫理論。在「性」「氣」關係上，明道主張即氣稟而說本然之性，但本然之性與氣稟之間則不能截然分立為二；而橫渠與伊川則更強調「性」「氣」之對分，一方面有「本體」之性，另一方面則有表現在個體身上的「氣質之性」，而後者則被視為人性中的負面因素與成德路上的制約因素。因此，對於橫渠與伊川來說，學者的工夫主要就是為了對治人身上的這一「氣質之性」，因此，他們的工夫都有消極治身與治心的一面。而明道則不同。對於明道來說，「性」固然離不開「氣」，但「性」與「氣」既非截然割裂為二，因此工夫本身實際上並不需要直接針對「氣稟」，而是直接以體認本體作為下手工夫，即本體即是工夫。由此不同的工夫路徑，道學遂分成了兩個系統。

This article deals with the different understanding of the relationship of xing and qi between Zhang Zai and Chen's brothers, and their different theories of self cultivation. Zhang Zai and Chen Yi emphasized the differences between xing and qi. They thought that there is the xing of benti, on the other hand, there is the nature of temperament on individual person. Moreover, the latter is the element of downside in human nature and of restrict on being a sage. Therefore, for Chen Yi and Zhang Zai, the aspect of self cultivation of scholar is just about the nature of temperament. On the contrary, Chen Hao insisted that xing and qi were not two opposites originally, so the gongfu itself is not necessary to direct towards qi, but comprehending benti firstly.