《明心寶鑑》，是中國翻譯史上第一部翻譯成西方文字的漢文古籍，然而在歷代文獻歸類及近人研究上，對於其定位與歸屬問題，尚未有明確及統一之看法。有因其取材內容與適用對象歸諸蒙書者，有因其編輯體例歸諸類書者，有因其勸善功能歸諸善書者，然其依據為何則尚待研析。書體之歸類是就圖書之內容與性質進行分析，其方法即找出該圖書之特徵、功能、目的等，從而對該書劃出一明確之定位歸屬。中國古代關於圖書性質的定位研究，常常使用歸屬方法，即尋找某種書與已知經、史、子、集諸大類書籍的共性，將該書劃歸某大類書籍之下。本文欲藉由諸家所提之論點，由該書的性質與內容著手，以蒙書、類書及善書等三方面來析論該書之定位與歸屬問題，並傾向於將該書視為：以勸善教化為手段的思想與德行類之「蒙書」。

Beng Sim Po Cam is the first Chinese book translated into western languages in Chinese translation history. However, it is still in dispute and question when it comes to its status and classification while scholars in the following generations were trying to classify or quote it. Some would classify it into initiation books because of its contents and intended readers; some would put it as classified books due to its editing genre; others would see it as virtue books owing to its moral instructional functions. Yet, on what ground can they do so is still worthwhile to investigate. Classification of doctrines is undertaken according to their contents and qualities, so that scholars can find out their features, functions, purposes, etc., and eventually decide what the doctrines should belong and be oriented. The study of orientation for books in ancient China often resorted to similarity methods, which often put a book into one of the already known classifications of doctrines, historical documents, biology and collections according to how similar they were. Based on arguments raised in those already applied methods, this thesis hopes to classify a book in aspects of initiation books, classified books and virtue books according to its qualities and contents. Also, the thesis tends to treat this book as one with the genre of classified books as well as the functions of virtue boos to promote virtues for kids.