20世紀以來，在中外學者的倡導下，中國近代史的研究受到重視。而中國近代史研究中一項重要課題，即爲如何斷限。其中上限最爲史家所關注，先後産生鴉片戰爭説、自强運動説、明末清初説、明代説、宋代説等。其中以鴉片戰爭説最爲史學界所接受，宋代説、自强運動説附議者不多，本文則以明末清初及明代説作爲探討對象。其中明末清初説尤多學者支持，以郭廷以最具影響，而明代説則獨見之於黄仁宇。故本文遂以郭、黄二人之主張爲個案，藉以説明明代與近代中國歷史發展的密切關係。

The research of modern Chinese history was given special attention in the twentieth century by scholars within and outside China, and gradually became a prominent field in the study of Chinese history. One important topic for the research of modern Chinese history concerns periodization. Historians are especially interested in determining the starting point of this period. They have respectively suggested several demarcative points: the Opium War, the Self-Strengthening Movement, the transition period between the Ming-Qing dynasties, the Ming dynasty, and the Song dynasty. The Opium War is the most widely accepted, while the Self-Strengthening Movement and the Song dynasty have the lowest number of proponents. The present study focuses on advocacy for the transition period between the Ming Qing dynasties and support for the Ming dynasty theory. The former enjoys considerable support, with Kuo Ting-yee as its most influential proponent; while the latter is only advocated by Ray Huang. These two theories form the content of the present case study on the close relationship between the Ming dynasty and modern Chinese history.