本文主要探討明代中篇傳奇《荔鏡傳》之情節安排、創作命意和思考底蘊，意欲就此尋繹「陳三五娘」故事在初肇時期的核心概念，以發明此故事在民間廣受歡迎的原由。本文除交代《荔鏡傳》在文本上的相關疑義外，已先就故事脈絡予以考察：得知《荔鏡傳》先將兩人的婚約歸納在天命的意志中，並延展此概念復將展現男女自由意志的「投荔」與「磨鏡」情節，甚至其後的「野合」與「淫奔」都劃歸上天的安排裏，讓兩人違禮的行為合理化；在主題的闡釋方面，男女主角無論對愛情、婚姻的看法雖皆歧異：男方視色欲的滿足為愛情，情欲的維繫方式即婚姻，達成此目標即令有野合、淫奔的行為也毋庸在意。至於女方將外貌、才華與忠誠視為愛情，惟婚姻乃屬於禮教，與愛情間無必然的相關，故計較著禮法的規範，成為制約兩人不逾禮法的關鍵。然而為了故事的推展，兩人發生親密關係後女方的愛情與婚姻觀即刻與男方同調，追求長相廝守為至終目的，甚至不惜付出生命為代價。此書看似記述男女尋求愛情自主的過程，實則一切發展無不受到天命及禮教的限囿，否定個人改變環境與命運的可能。惟是書所建構「投荔」及「磨鏡」的情節，以及在兩人結合前安排的磨難，激越了意志與命運的兩下衝突、與突顯對愛情的堅持不移，拋擲原有的天命概念，成為後來戲曲所強調的主要情節，令兩人追求愛情、鄙薄俗世的意志，在不斷的試煉裏屢次被證明，深孚奇緣的命名，亦是「陳三五娘」傳續不衰與故事命題的核心所在。

This paper investigated the plot, the gist of writing and the thought behind the medium-length romantic novel Li Jing Zhuan of the Ming Dynasty, with the attempt to find out the key concept at the incipient stage of writing this love story of Chen San and Wu Niang, in order to discover and understand the reason why this story was so popular among the general public. Judging from the plot, this romantic novel attributed the union of these two persons to the predestination of the heaven and considered the expression of free will of men and women, her tossing litchi, his polishing the mirror, their love affair and elopement in rebelling against the ethics, all as the arrangements of the heaven, thus legalized their unethical behavior.In explaining the main theme, although the couple's views of love and marriage were initially different, her view immediately changed to his side after having intimate relations, so that they could be together forever. Even though this book seemed to describe the seeking of freedom in their love affair, it actually reflected that the heavenly mandate was the reason of their happy ending and negated the possibility of changing the environment and fate by individuals. However, the plots of tossing litchi, polishing mirror and the obstacles they encountered before their union, later became the emphasis of drama. It enhanced the image of this couple's seeking love and despising the power and influence of the earthly life. The recognition of the value of love as the main theme was exactly what made the love story of Chen San and Wu Niang unfailingly handed down from generation to generation.