韓愈提倡古文運動成功的關鍵，不能只從「文以明道」的角度觀察，而應重視他「以文為戲」在當時與後世文壇所造成的影響。但是，過去學者往往忽略這個問題，而未予深究。本文則根據韓愈的創作理論與實績，指出他處在一個以文學共娛的時代，有鑑於六朝以來為文者多拘偶對、唯務綺靡之弊病，而改變了遊戲招式，大力提倡「古文」，一方面以散易駢，另一方面以古道為依歸，於是把遊戲提昇到藝術的境界，並且與道德相結合，而發揮了改革文風的作用。他以遊戲傳聖道，使文章內外全面翻新的苦心，雖然在當時與後代都遭到了誤解和譏評，但是，因為他的文章能以遊戲出之，娛樂效果特佳，流傳特廣，所以還是帶動了風潮，而完成了「興存聖人之道」的大業。此一論點之提出，當可釐清前人誤解，一新韓文研究之視野。

　　　　　 Why could Han Yu succeed in promoting the Ku-wen (Classical Style) Movement? We cannot discuss the question solely from the viewpoint of “writing essays to expand the teaching of Confucius and Mencius.” We should pay attention to his demonstration of “writing essays as playing games,” and its influence on his contemporaries and on future writers. Most researchers, however, have ignored this problem. This paper points out that Han Yu lived in a time in which the literary men often amused themselves with their works, and that he changed “the rules of the game” on them by vigorously promoting “ku-wen.” By doing this he substituted a more classical style instead of continuing the special euphuistic style consisting of antithetical or parallel constructions of four and six characters. Furthermore, he followed the teachings of Confucius and Mencius, adding a moral sense to his writing; in this way he turned the game into art. Though his attitude of taking writing essays as playing games gave rise to much controversy, it provided his works with a strange recreational effect, and became widely known. That's why Han could create a new literary atmosphere and preach successfully the teachings of the ancient sages.