陶希聖先生是中國現代少數擁有眾多「專家」頭銜的歷史人物：既是史學家、法學家、政治評論家、戰略學家、共黨理論及中國問題等專家，亦實際參贊了高層政務。本文旨在綜合其自述、著作，及回憶資料與研究成果，側寫近代學術流變，探討其學術發展過程，及開拓中國社會史之業績。 先生自啟蒙時即以史論兼融法學、禮書，旁及社會科學，並藉英、日等語文拓展視野，奠定深廣的學術基礎。後投身社會政治改造，從經世立場著手，探究中國社會根源與演變，為革命樹立理論，從而引發著名的中國社會史論戰，開拓了學術研究新方向。透過論戰，先生認識到掌握史實方為為學之道，因此赴北大任教後，除在各校講授中國社會政治史，更創辦以探索中國社會經濟史為主的《食貨》半月刊，成立中國經濟史研究室，形成以探尋新研究領域聞名的學術團隊，強調從史料梳理中，尋找問題與理論。 晚年先生從政界退休，重回學界，再創《食貨》月刊，引介歐美社會科學理論與方法，對台灣史學界有相當影響；先生本身則以禮、律為線索，闡述秦漢以來，法、儒對中國社會的影響，建立觀察中國社會發展的完備體系。先生畢生以中國傳統學術為治學根基，兼用社會科學理論，以跨領域整合開創了學術發展新方向。

Dr. Tao Xisheng was one of the few historical figures of modern China who deserves to be called an expert in various fields: He was not only a historian, jurist, political commentator, strategist, China expert, and a scholar of Communist theory, but also a statesman who served as an advisor in high political circles. This article attempts to provide a comprehensive account of Dr. Tao's scholarship by examining his autobiography, scholarly works, as well as memoirs and recollections. The goal is to discuss Dr. Tao from the vantage point of his contributions to the development of modern Chinese scholarship, as well as his pioneering achievements in the field of Chinese social history. During his early youth, Dr. Tao delved into the Chinese classics. Extensive reading in the social sciences and his study of English and Japanese works on this subject broadened his vision, and established a solid academic foundation marked by both breadth and expertise. In his later life, Dr. Tao dedicated himself to social and political reconstruction. While exploring the development of Chinese society and the origins of China's modern predicament, Dr. Tao established a theoretical basis for revolution in China, thereby evoking the famous debate on Chinese social history. Through the debate, Dr. Tao realized that only a firm understanding of historical facts could sere as a basis for scholarship on Chinese social history. Thus, he not only devoted himself to teaching Chinese political and social history at various universities, but also founded a semi-monthly journal entitled Shihuo (食貨), which mainly served as a scholarly forum for research on the social and economic history of China. Furthermore, Dr. Tao also established a small research centre for the study of Chinese economic history. This team emphasized the meticulous and organized study of historical materials and argued that only such concrete materials could serve as the point of departure for raising questions and proposing theories. Furthermore, this approach clearly signified that research on Chinese social history had turned away from revolutionary sloganeering to scholarly investigations of Chinese social history. In his later years, Dr. Tao returned to scholarship, and re-established shihuo which had a considerable influence on later generations of historians in Taiwan. In his own research Dr. Tao established a comprehensive analytical framework for understanding the development of Chinese social history. Dr. Tao's academic development and his pioneering work in the field of Chinese social and economic history point to the importance among scholars of both broad knowledge and expertise. Such an approach assures that Chinese social history retains a concrete foundation and pioneering spirit, rather than merely offering theoretical propositions based on vague impressions.