正統論是中國史學與政治思想的重要議題。本文企圖指出一種解讀歷代正統論述的新方式，亦即分析正統性與中國性之關係。本文指出，所謂正統性，其實就是某一政權作為地理意義「中國」之唯一政治代表的資格。此資格之要件，可歸納為三種「中國性」。從各個思想家所標舉之正統性要件，可以看出某思想家所重視之「中國性」為何。而該思想家所重視之「中國性」，其實反映出其心目中的「中國」認同為何。因此，由某時代之某思想家所提出之正統性要件，可以看出此時代此思想家所重視之「中國性」為何，以及其所抱持之「中國」認同的內涵為何。本文以北魏到中唐為例，分析當時思想家所主張的正統性要件有哪些，由此觀察此一時期思想家所抱持的「中國」認同為何。本文顯示，歷代正統論述作為思想史史料，或許為關於「中國」認同的思想史研究，提供了一把意想不到的鑰匙。

This article aims to present a new way of analyzing the abundant documents in Chinese intellectual history regarding the issue of orthodoxy. I argue that the criteria of orthodoxy upheld by thinkers of various ages could be interpreted as proposing three elements of Chineseness, namely the cultural, the geographical and the ethnic. Based on these elements, thinkers in each age constructed their respective ideas about the essence of China, thus forming their own versions of Chinese identity. Statements by thinkers from the fifth to eighth centuries are presented as examples for analysis. In the modern context of the political rivalry between the ROC and the PRC, the intertwining relationship between orthodoxy, Chineseness and political legitimacy still has its effects on both players, as the concluding section suggests.