《五經大全》修纂於明成祖永樂十三年（1415），歷來學者對其修纂動機、修纂人、取材問題，和經學衰落的關係，往往未有正確的認識。經本文研究後，發現：(一)成祖修纂《大全》，除想繼承道統外，也有籠絡士人，消除怨怒之氣的作用。(二)修纂人，除一般所知的四十二人外，《永樂大典》的總裁陳濟，可能也有參加意見。(三)取材方面，與顧炎武、朱彝尊、《四庫提要》等書所說，略有出入。(四)《大全》雖頒為士人考試用書，但當時考試都用八股文，士人僅讀八股文範本，不但不讀《大全》，經書也廢棄了。所以，明代經學衰落，實導因於八股文，而非《五經大全》。

　　　　　Wu-ching ta-ch'uan 五經大全 （A Grand and Complete Collection of the Exegeses of the Five Classics） was compiled in 1415 . Knowledge about the motive for its compilation , compilers , sources and its relation to the decline of the study of the Classics has been insufficient . The author of this study reaches the following conclusions : 1. Emperor Ch'eng-tsu 成祖〔of the Ming〕ordered its compilation with a view both to following the Classical tradition and to gaining literary men's favor by way of rechanneling their anger against him. 2. As to the compilers , besides the forty-two literary men usually known , the vice-editor of the Yung-lo ta-tien 永樂大典（Grand Repository of the Yung-lo Era） , might have offered his opinions on its compilation . 3. With regard to its sources , the views of Ku Yen-wu 顧炎武 , Chu I-tsun 朱彝尊 , and the editors of the Ssu-k'u t'i-yao 四庫提要（Annotative List of the Complete Library of the Four Branches of Books） are not wholly reliable . 4. Although the Wu-ching ta-ch'uan was stipulated as the standard textbook for the civil examinations , it was not to blame for the decline of the study of the Classics . Since the required genre used in writing the examinations was the pa-ku wen 八股文（eight-legged essay） , students needed only to study the model essays in that genre . Under such circumstances , not only the Wu-ching ta-ch'uan , but the Classics themselves were ignored .