本文旨在探討《莊子》書中所謂「天地大美」的義涵。文中認為，基於莊子超世的思想精神，莊學對於「美」的價值態度，本有超越世間之「相對美」而追求「絕對美」的取向。因此，《莊子》書中之「天地大美」，乃屬「絕對美」(亦即「形上根源之美」)，而非有形有相的「大自然之美」或「天地萬物之美」。此「形上根源之美」，原指謂天地無私無為而化育萬物的德性之美，是莊學修道者在生命實踐中體察而得；然而，它又可透過修道主體之工夫實踐，返而落實於現實人生，成為實現世間一切真美之形上理據。故其作為「形上美」，乃是一「實踐性的形上美」，不同於西方美學中「概念性的形上美」。「形上美」本亦是西方美學中之一範疇，在西方古代形上美學的理論中，柏拉圖的美學理論深具典型意義，因此，本文亦將《莊子》之「大美」與柏拉圖美學中之「形上美」進行對比觀照，指出其間之異同，藉此更深入清晰地呈顯出《莊子》「天地大美」的本質特徵。

In this research, the author tried to elucidate the meaning of "Great Beauty of the universe" in writings of Chuang Zi. The author hold that Chuang Zi surmount the relative beauty in the world and pursue the absolute beauty because of his spirit of detaching from the world. Therefore, the essence of "Great beauty of the universe" in writings of Chuang Zi is metaphysical and original beauty, not the beauties of nature, as many scholars believe. "Great beauty of the universe" in the book of Chuang Zi means the virtue of Heaven to rear the creation in the world without selfishness. "Great beauty of the universe" is found by learners of the Taoists when cultivating their minds, and it can be put into practice to produce the beauties in the world, then becoming the metaphysical origin of all beauties. Therefore, the essence of "Great beauty of the universe" is practical, not theoretical. In this research, the author will make a comparison between "Great beauty of the universe" and "metaphysical beauty" in Plato's aesthetic theory, and precisely presenting the essence of "Great beauty of the universe".