本文針對至今尚被“觀念史” 取向所支配的中國思想史研究，提出一個批判 的檢視。文中建議認真地對待後現代封當前史學的批判，並且特向“文化史”，以之做為出 路，將中國思想史整合入更為寬廣的，在帝制晚期的政治脈絡中 有關前現代中國社會與思 想的討論裡。本文也討論了內藏在“本土主義”、“化約主義”、“目的論”、“功能論” ，以及“太平洋邊緣地區研究”裡的危險，這些是當今全世界生活在後現代與後共產時代裡 的史學家，正在重新評估的方法論問題。最後，以作者對1780年到1820年今文經學常州學派 的研究為例，說明當“觀念史”的研究加入文化、社會和政治史之後，中國思想史可以變得 更為豐富。

　　　　　The article presents a critical view of present research in Chinese intellectual history, which has been dominated to date by the "history of ideas" approach. It suggests taking seriously the postmodern critique of contemporary historiography and turning to "cultural history" as a way to integrate Chinese intellectual history into a broader discussion of premodern Chinese society and thought in a late imperial political context. The dangers inherent in "nativism," "reductionism," "teleology," "functionalism," and "Pacific Rim Studies" are discussed as methodological problems historians worldwide living in the postmodern and post-communist era today are reevaluating. Finally, the article gives an example from the author's research on the Ch'ang-chou School of New Text Confucianism from 1784 to 1820 to show Chinese intellectual history can be enriched when cultural, social, and political history are added to the discussion of the "history" of ideas."