《世說新語》中的竹林七賢，予人以曠達不羈的印象，其言行容止，似乎洋溢著老莊自然逍遙的精神；但深入探究之後，卻發現他們並非道道地地的老莊信徒。他們的行為，顯然有很多地方與老莊宗旨牴牾，沒有一個人能真正的逍遙物外，冥同造化；在曠達的形象背後隱藏的，是一個個苦悶的心靈。 本文先透過老莊思想中「面對死亡的態度」、「面對死別的態度」、「和光同塵」、「保身全生」等幾個角度，一一檢視《世說新語》中竹林七賢的形象，發現他們多半未能契合於老莊的思想。於是再從「扭曲的時代與荒謬的演出」、「不羈的行為與深沉的人格」、「真實的友誼與深切的苦悶」、「悲劇的決定因素――見識與性情」為觀察重點，討論七賢內在苦悶的原因。

Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove in Shi Shuo Xin Yu impress people by their broad-minded and unruly images. It seems that their manners demonstrate nature and freedom of Lao-Zhuang; however, the in-depth study shows that they are not the authentic Lao-Zhuang followers. Their behaviors relatively contradict the aims of Lao-Zhuang. None of them can really by free. The depression is hidden behind the broad-minded image. Through “attitude toward death”, “to swim with the tide”, “to protect the body and maintain the life” in Lao-Zhuang thoughts, this study reviews the images of Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove in Shi Shuo Xin Yu, and argues that most of them cannot match the thinking of Lao-Zhuang. Thus, upon “twisted time and absurd performance”, “free behavior and deep personality”, “authentic friendship and profound depression”, “tragic factors: knowledge and disposition”, this paper elaborates the reasons of seven sages’ inner depression.