第一節〈前言〉，從研究回顧，談到寫作動機與問題意識。 第二節〈乞食與謀生〉的論述主旨有二：一是探討乞丐形成的原因，二是乞丐的謀生技能。 第三節〈弱勢乞丐〉的論述主旨，探討乞丐中的殘疾和女性人士，他們在父系社會下，可說乞丐的弱勢者。 第四節〈心態與形象〉的論述主旨有二：一是乞丐的乞食心態，二是宋人記錄下的乞丐形象。 第五節〈神仙與果報〉的論述主旨有二：一是乞丐的神仙傳說，二是乞丐的奇言異行，三是因果報應論述下的乞丐面相。 第六節〈政治互動與官方賑濟〉的論述主旨有三：一是乞丐組織的發展，二是乞丐與政治的互動，三是官方賑濟乞丐的活動。 第七節〈結語〉，整理正文要旨，要加入城市文明、人口壓力、統治策略等考察焦點，將乞丐行為的微觀考察彙整成宋代社會形態的宏觀論述。

It is tempting to speculate that the beggars reflected social, economic, or religious divisions in Sung society. During Sung Chinese society underwent a great transformation. Among the most striking features of this change were the rapid growth and diversification of trade, the progressive urbanization of society, and the growth to prosperity of an urban class who included the beggars with its own distinctive cultural. The article discussed the urban populations of the sharp disparity in the distribution of wealth between the rich and the poor. The poor settled in sparsely settled borderlands as migrant laborers or emigrated to cities to beg for food, money, clothes. Beggars were so poor that them made a living by asking for a meal. So, it was the greatest disgrace to anyone if you went into beggars. Besides, beggars couldn’t be choosers, must took whatever was offered them.