本文採取「從晚清說起」的研究策略來考察嘉應菁英的「客家中原論」。內容有：一、林達泉〈客說〉為「客家中原論」之肇始。二、海外經驗促發黃遵憲率先重視客語特色、關懷我群文教、提升我群自信。三、溫仲和、梁居實等通儒編修《嘉應州志》，特創方言一卷。四、「客家中原論」成為民初梅縣制度化的知識。「客家中原論」工程，由林達泉定位起基，到黃遵憲設計描圖、支起樑柱，再到溫仲和、梁詩五等施工夯實，這套論述已初步完成，而且很快就被編入鄉土教科書中，在客家子弟中推廣普及，成為民初梅縣的制度化知識。

The discourse of ＂central plains Hakka＂ means that Hakka group can claim themselves to be the purest Han people, and the most essential part of Huaxia culture. The ＂Introduction to Hakka Studies＂ by Luo Xianglin supports this claim. In this article, I documented how elites in central Hakka Jiaying justified their status and origins in the late Qing Dynasty. Conflicts between the local residents and Hakkas in Guangdong inspired Lin Daquan to write keshuo, which helped Hakkas defend their stand against rebel charges. Huang Zunxian and Wen Zhonghe also helped produce the discourse of the ＂central plains Hakka.＂ The late Qing and early Republic of China then used this discourse as a supplement to their teaching materials.