《教觀綱宗》是明末蕅益智旭的名著之一。智旭雖重視天台教觀，卻非天台學派的子孫，乃是以《梵網經》為其中心思想的戒律主義者，在修證方面是以《楞嚴經》為其中心的淨土行者。天台教觀是他的研究工具，也是他判攝釋迦一代時教的依據。 因為智旭是學貫大小乘諸系佛法的大通家，所以不會侷於天台一家之說，與其說《教觀綱宗》是介紹天台學，寧可說他是以介紹天台教觀來讓讀者認識整體佛法的綱骨。也可以說，《教觀綱宗》是明末時代的新天台學，它是中國天台學派的最後一部名著，智旭自己為之撰寫《釋義》之後迄今仍被傳誦講解，注釋傳世者甚多。此兩書，一直都受到中日兩國學者的研究與弘傳。

　　　　　The Essence of Teaching and Meditation (Jiao Guan Gang Zong) is one of the noted writings by Master Ou-yi Zhi-xu in late Ming Dynasty. Although Zhi-xu emphasized the teachings and meditation techniques of Tien-tai School, he didn't belong to the lineage of Tien-tai School. He was a proponent of precepts with Brahmajaala Suutra as his central thought. In terms of practice, he was a pure land practitioner based on `Suura.mgama Suutra. The teachings and meditation techniques of Tien-tai School were his tools in research, and also his bases in analyzing the teachings of `Saakyamuni Buddha. Because Zhi-xu was a learned scholar in different Hiinayaana and Mahaayaana Schools, he didn't confine himself in the teachings of only Tien-tai School. Rather than assuming that Jiao Guan Gang Zong is an introduction of Tien-tai teachings, it is better to say that he utilized the introduction of the teachings and meditation techniques of Tien-tai School to let readers understand the skeleton of whole Buddha dharma. We can also say that Jiao Guan Gang Zong is the teachings of the new Tien-tai School in late Ming Dynasty. It is the last famous writing of Chinese Tien-tai School. Since Zhi-xu himself wrote a commentary on it, until now it is still widely read and explained. There are many commentaries on it. These two books had been studied and spread by the Buddhist scholars of China and Japan.