「策問」在晚清科舉改革中成為關注焦點，自有其深意在，實際與對「西學」的接引聯繫在一起，並映射出世風之丕變，及思想學術的轉型。因為改制後的科舉，明確規定鄉會試之二場「試各國政治藝學策五道」，圍繞「各國政治藝學」所出「問策」，即體現了晚清各級官員思考世界事務的樞機所在，而參加科考的數十萬士子在「問策」導向下所作「應策」，更呈現出知識階層一般的思想狀況。本文即主要圍繞《中外策問大觀》及其他相關資料，檢討在科舉體制下對「西學」的接引情況。顯然，改試「策論」除為「西學」大開方便之門，也摧毀著中國傳統的知識架構。科舉歷經改革，不是什麼新問題，然「策問」地位之不斷提升，皆是為著糾正科舉考試之種種弊端。而廢除「八股」、改試「策論」一經落實，對於學術之轉向影響深遠。換言之，「策問」資料於晚清「西學」不僅是重要的「呈現物」，在知識的傳播及知識的「再生產」上，也另有一功。略為梳理「策問」與科舉改革之關聯，以及「策問」對接引西學知識所具有的媒介作用，對「策問」在晚清的特殊性或可有初步瞭解。

The significance of the addition of policy questions (cewen) in the reform of the imperial examination system in the late Qing lay in their relationship to the reception of Western Learning. Policy questions reflected both social change and the transformation of scholarship. The reformed examinations required the “Five Questions on Politics and Industry of Various Countries” for both provincial and national exams. Wence (policy questions) on politics and industry of various countries provides a key to understanding how officials at all levels during the late Qing perceived the world, and yingce (the answers) written by hundreds of thousands of candidates who took the examinations reflected the general intellectual perspectives of the day. This article examines the reception of Western Learning in the examinations, based on Zhongwai Cewen Daguan (Full Collection of Domestic and Overseas Policy Questions) and other materials. It is clear that the adoption of policy questions in the exams paved the way for Western Learning and also helped to destroy the traditional knowledge structure of China. Reforming the examination system to rectify its problems was nothing new. The substitution of bagu (eight-legged essay) with celun, however, had a profound impact on academic studies. In other words, materials about cewen are not only representation of the Western Learning of the late Qing, but also contributed to the spread and “reproduction”of knowledge. Studying cewen’s relationship to the reform of the examination system and its role as a medium of Western Learning contributes to a new understanding of the special position of cewen in the late Qing.