船山的道器為一思想，混成是以一整體的生命形態，來表明形上與形下世界的通貫為一，非旦破除了理學現象世界與本體世界的鴻溝，也摒棄了王學復學（如秦州學）的狂爛恣肆，所強調的就是要恢復儒家原始的真面貌，肯定這是一個真真實實的實在世界，更是變動不息的生命世界，對此生命世界的解釋，他從註解《周易》出發，運用道器為一的本體論，歸理出生命世界「實」與「動」的兩個重要特徵。以此鋪陳其整個思想體系，有「理氣合一」的本體論、有「理欲合一」的人性論、甚而有「理勢合一」的歷史哲學，其中所建構的形上學，更是其思想的基石。船山道器為一（道即是器）的本體思想，是針就先哲對現實世界是否真實存在的質疑；他從實在論的角度，所作出的回應。因此，本文試圖從四方面扼要論述：一、氣化流行的實有世界。二、盈天地之間皆器。三、天地人物之通理為道。四、無其器則無其道，以明其道器為一本體思想之要義。

Wang Chuan-shan's doctrine of Tao/Qi (器) eliminated the distinction between the phenomenal world and the noumenal world as well as dismissed the extravagance of the later successor of Wang's doctrine, stressing the restoration of the original state of Confucianism and confirming this world as something real and dynamic. Interpreting the living world, he began with the annotations of Zhou-Yi, employing the ontology of Tao/Qi (器) to recognize the two important features of the living world, “essence” and “movement”, which were the framework of his metaphysical system.