這篇論文藉古裝歷史人物電視劇，報告現代觀眾從電視播出的古人故事中，經驗哪些生活規範以及社會價值。研究追問什麼是電視劇重要的道德？什麼是觀眾認同的善良？ 本研究從電視歷年來重複最多的題材「包青天」以及「劉伯溫」，檢視古裝電視劇究竟向觀眾展現什麼特定的價值信念。研究結果顯示，古裝劇不是社會的鏡子。古裝劇訴說著一些特定道德信念，同時也是一部消失聲音的現代傳奇，無關科技、民主、自由、平權平等、以及獨立自主。 依據包曼(Emest Bormann)之符號聚合理論(symbolic convergency theory)，人們共享象徵符號所架構的真實，最後被共享的訊息所影響。古裝劇可能增強某些既存之道德與價值信念，不在改變。電視用戲劇節目延緩社會變化，是一個值得繼續觀察討論的現象。

　　　　　The purpose of this research is to find out what social values and some common morals are in the historic television drama. The study examines two most frequently presented television series, “Pao Chin-tien” and “Liu Po-wen”. Both series have involved Chinese historic figures, but the plots are fictional. The study revealed that the two drama series held a common moral of respecting leaders in political offices and followed an optimistic social attitude. It seemed that historic television series aimed at reinforcing social values rather than encouraging any revolutionary thoughts. Emest Bormann uses symbolic convergence theory to explain how symbolic reality influences beliefs in social reality. Current historic television series neglect contemporary social aspects such as science, democracy, equal rights, and independence. Such a phenomenon, which might decay social change due to the media's used of symbolic reality, is an issue worthy of further observation and discussion.