郭嵩燾(1818-1891)是傳統教育下的經生儒者，早年學習桐城文法，推紫朱熹、研究心性義理。其後因為曾國藩湘軍籌餉建水師，而走向仕途，其主要工怍均與財政、洋務相關，成為晚清少數熟習洋務的學者官員，亦為清朝首批駐外公使，郭嵩燾之洋務思想及政治作為，在當時雖飽受非議，但後人多予以肯定的評價，大抵公認其為清代接觸西方思想的學者申，能將傳統思想與西方學術融會貫通，身體力行的學者。本文考論郭氏洋務思想，考察其觀點，而得其思想立基於《周易》、《四書》，又以《禮》學為用。其從政及外交作序中，所不斷強調知機審時、循理守禮等觀念，均為傳統經學所重視者，乃是清代義理學之具體應用。郭氏立基於此，在内為朝廷整飭財政，在外爭取國際地位，均有所成。

Guosongtao was a typical Confucian scholar. In his early days, he had received an orthodox education of the Confucian theory of mind-nature, and had expressed great esteem for the school of Tongcheng. After passing the imperial examinations, he was once appointed to take official positions in Tanjim and Shandong, which maimly dealt with economic affairs. Later since his appointment as the governor of Jiangsu and Guangdong provinces, Guosongtao started to get further involved in managing foreign relations and the Self-Strengthening Movement, and hence had become one of the government officials conversant with foreign affairs in the late Qing period. In 1876, Guosongtao served as first Chinese in Britain, and successively China's first consul in France in 1878. This research programme is of great significance not only to the study of Guosongtao's doctrine and the academic history of Oing dynasty, but also to the research areas concerning the Self-Strengthening Movement and the academic development in modem times. By making reference to some distinguishing features in Guo's personal thinking, this programme has introduced a brand new angle into the aforesaid areas, where relevant studies in terms of political thoughts are prevalent.