本文定義「研究方法」為：「達成研究目的之規則性思想操作歷程及其理架構。」可分為：本文的確立、理論的建構、比較與評價、創造性思考等過程。 「方法」是為了達成「目的」，有不同的研究目的就會有不同的研究方法，由於目的是多樣的，方法是多元的，因此並沒有一種可以適用於各種研究目的的普遍方法。透過各種方法的差異比較，找出它們的共同性，操作步驟的共通性，進而找出各種方法的類型納入可能的架構，逐步建立起中哲學的方法論。中國哲學的特性傾向於整體的把握與生命的提升，因此一種生命契入的感觸、體驗以及直覺的方法也是不可或缺的。

In this paper, the “research method” is defined as the “operational procedure of normative thinking to achieve the goal of the research and the structure of such a treatment.” The process of such as method is composed of “confirming the text,” “constructing the theory,” “comparing and evaluating,” and “creative thinking.” The “method” is a means to the “goal,” and different researches require different methods. Since the goals are diverse and the methods pluralistic, there is not a single method that can be applied to researches of all the different goals. Sometimes we must alternate among different research methods to achieve particular research goals. Through comparing the differences between all the methods, finding out what they have in common, and manipulating the commonality of their procedures, we can discover what types all these methods belong to, work them into a possible framework, and step by step construct the methodology of Chinese philosophy. What characterizes Chinese philosophy is the tendency to address the whole and improve life; therefore, it also requires the feeling, experience and intuition of approaching life.