本文分命運觀為「命運隨行而定論」與「命運前定論」（包括「命運可預知論」 和「命運不可預知論」）兩大類。本文認為，此兩類觀念相互排斥而不能融合，但在漢人的 思想中，甚至在當時同一個人的思想中，並行存在。然而，漢人傾向於在集體層次上（包括 王朝和家族）信奉命運隨行而定論，而在個人層次上堅持命運前定論。漢代中期以後，這種 兩層次兩命觀的現象開始被察覺並受到指責。同時，集體層次的命運隨行而定論由于道德中 性的「互聯思維」的影響，有逐漸被命運前定論取代的趨向。迨及魏晉，知識界傾向於以命 運前定論解釋兩層次的命運。唐宋以後，集體層次的命觀又回復到命運隨行而定的領域。這 兩類命觀同時存在的情況終有清一代不絕。這是思想界難以解決的問題。　

　　　　　Two general types of fate theories are categorised in this essay, namely, the concept of moral alterable fate and of the amoral pre-fixed fate (which can be sub-divided into the notion of predictable and of unpredictable fate). It is stated that the two types of conceptions, though mutually exclusive, can be found in one and the same person in Han times. Yet, it is discernible that Han intellectuals were inclined to adopt the former notion at a collective level and to uphold the latter at individuals' level. Beginning from the mid-Han, the two-level phenomena met with criticism, and the concept of moral alterable fate at the collective level was gradually gave way to the concept of amoral prefixed fate because of the prevalent impact of the correlative thinking which found ample expression in the concept of moral alterable fate. During the Wei-Chin Periods, there was a general trend among the intellectuals to use the concept of amoral pre-fixed fate to explain cases at both the collective and individual level. Only after the T'ang Dynasty was established did the concept of moral alterable fate re-gain the collective ground.