顏淵在孔門弟子中，德行冠絕群倫，才智復首屈一指。由於歷代學者對聖學之體解各有側重，顏淵之風格乃隨之而有不同之呈現。顏淵既是德智雙全之大賢，是以從各方面觀察其學行，皆可得其一體。若論顏淵學行之實況，自當以其在《論語》中所具現之言行為基礎，並綜合孔子及其後學論彼者以確定之。 有超乎凡俗之才智，復謹言慎行以遠禍保身，此乃顏淵學行之一端，而《孔子家語》特能彰顯之。虛靜其心、忘卻其身與隨遇而安等無執無累之德養，亦顏淵學行之一端，而《莊子》特能彰顯之。全身生機活潑，四體清和潤澤，乃體仁而樂之顏淵自然而發者，而程明道之品題特能彰顯之。然而顏淵之本色，在自強不息以進德。以先秦孔門所顯示之顏淵為基幹，附益增潤之以各分顯之一體，當可勾勒出顏淵學行之全貌，並豐富其聖學之內涵。 《孔子家語》所顯示者，乃才智型之顏淵；《莊子》所顯示者，乃清虛型之顏淵；程明道之品題所顯示者，乃和樂型之顏淵；孔門師弟之言所顯示者，乃進德型之顏淵。乾乾進德者必然生命潔淨無疵而致和樂生發，和樂生發者必然心中無執而能清虛寧寂，清虛寧寂者必然無有紛擾而理智清明。是故顏淵之表現明智、清虛與和樂諸端，總因自強不息以至於成德使然。

Among the students of Confucius, Yan Yuan's moral conduct was peerless, and his intelligence was second to none. Because the scholars of all the past dynasties had different realization and understanding and laid varied stress on the study of becoming a saint, there was a diverse presentation of Yan Yuan's styles. Since Yan Yuan was a great sage of both virtue and wisdom, one can get a concrete result if observing his scholastic and moral performance from any aspect. Regarding actual situations of Yan Yuan's scholastic and moral performance, his words and deeds in "The Analects of Confucius" should be the basis, and opinions of Confucius and Confucius' students on him should be combined to confirm them. With brilliance beyond the ordinary, yet speaking and acting cautiously to keep away from calamities and be worldly wise and play safe was one aspect of Yan Yuan's scholastic and moral performance, and "The Homely Talks of Confucius" can manifest it especially. The moral accomplishments of being flexible and free from care, such as: with a quiet heart and with no distracting thoughts, being oblivious of oneself, and feeling at ease under all circumstances, were also one aspect of Yan Yuan's scholastic and moral performance, and the book of "Zhuangzi" can reveal it specially. Being vivid with limbs full of youthful vigor was a natural appearance of Yan Yuan, who felt happy to incarnate benevolence, and Cheng Ming-dao's "Pin-ti (a book commenting on the states of saints and sages)" can demonstrate it extraordinarily. However, Yan Yuan's distinct character was continuous self-renewal to perfect virtues. A complete picture of Yan Yuan's scholastic and moral performance can be outlined by taking the qualities of Yan Yuan exhibiting from Pre-Qin Confucian School as the main part, and increasing and polishing with each aspect as above-mentioned; meanwhile, the connotation of his study of becoming a saint can be enriched. What "The Homely Talks of Confucius" shows is brilliant Yan Yuan; what "Zhuangzi" shows is Yan Yuan of a quiet heart; what Cheng Ming-dao's "Pin-ti" shows is harmonious and happy Yan Yuan; what the words of junior fellow apprentices in Confucian School showed wass Yan Yuan of promoting virtues. The one who works tirelessly to promote virtues has a pure and perfect life, resulting in harmony and happiness; the one who is harmonious and happy is flexible and has a quiet heart; the one who has a quiet heart certainly has no turmoil, and is rational, clear, and bright. Therefore, Yan Yuan's manifestation of being intelligent, and harmonious and happy with a quiet heart was because of continuous self-renewal to accomplish virtues.