《明儒學案》是中國著名的學術史專著，也是學案體的定型之作。近年來，隨著研究的深入，從文獻學上對《明儒學案》的編纂原則與方法等問題的研究也提上了日程。本文認為：「自得」和「宗旨」、「工夫」與「本體」是貫穿《明儒學案》的重要編纂原則和方法，也是黃宗羲編著《明儒學案》時選案與立案的重要參考。學貴「自得」的「自得」是一種強調主體意識的治學精神，而「宗旨」是對「自得」的肯定和提升，是學問的「大腦」；重「工夫」輕「本體」這一原則不僅是黃宗羲規範陽明心學的重要法則，也是判斷陽明後學是否為心學「的傳」的重要參 考。「自得」和「宗旨」、「工夫」與「本體」不僅是《明儒學案》選案和立案的標準，而且是我們後人研究黃宗羲和《明儒學案》所必不可少的途徑之一，又為我們以後編著學術史提供了很好的參考依據。

Ming Confucian Case Studies is one of China’s leading academic history monographs and is also a work on the formulation of a case study. In recent years with in-depth study from literature investigation into Ming Confucian Case Studies, issues related to research on the principles and methodology have been put on the agenda. This paper argues that contentment, purpose, work and ontology are important compilation principles and methodology that pervade Ming Confucian Case Studies; and they also were important references Huang Zongxi utilized when editing Ming Confucian Case Studies in selecting and setting up the case studies. Highly esteemed contentment is a kind of learning spirit that emphasizes subjective consciousness; and purpose is an affirmation and elevation of contentment that is the brain of scholarship. Valuing work and devaluing ontology is an important rule that Huang Zongxi took as a norm for Yang-Ming idealism and is an important reference to judge whether later works of the Yang-Ming school were a continuation of the idealism. Contentment and purpose, and work and ontology were not only the standard for selecting and setting up cases in Ming Confucian Case Studies, but also one of the paths that later scholars who study Huang Zongxi and Ming Confucian Case Studies cannot be without. And also they are a very good reference standard for those who later edit academic histories to use.