本文挑起「先秦〈中庸〉文本」的提問，意在凸顯當代讀者所理解的〈中庸〉基本上仍是透過經學傳統的視野所照見的文本，或是《禮記》中之一篇的「五經」正典文本，或是經朱子整編章句而為「四書」正典文本，因而在解讀〈中庸〉時也難以擺脫經學傳統所賦予它的文本意義。本文的論述重點一方面回顧從經學傳統到當代學界解讀〈中庸〉所歷經的「作者」化過程，以見〈中庸〉曾被視為「子思簡冊」、「孔子簡冊」、「孔子─子思心法相傳之書」、「思孟學派儒學觀念文章」的文本流傳史跡；另一方面，本文也嘗試另立新解，亦即透過以「述者」為主體的視角，解讀〈中庸〉當中的「子曰」文獻、「哀公問政」、「仲尼祖述堯舜」的文本意義，進而掌握〈中庸〉的論述脈絡。扼要言之，本文關於「先秦〈中庸〉文本何以形成」的提問，思索重心可以歸結 為對「作者」文本觀點的詰問，並嘗試提出「述者」文本的觀點，藉此翻轉習見的文本形成觀念。筆者認為：文本研究是思想研究的基礎，當〈中庸〉的文本意義經由鬆動既有的習見定論而有新的解讀，對於透過〈中庸〉認識先秦儒學以及進行思想史研究或哲學詮釋就有了新的基礎

This study brings up the phrase ＂pre-Qin text of the Doctrine of the Mean＂ to highlight that contemporary scholars still study the Doctrine of the Mean through the perspective of classics studies tradition. Because the Doctrine is viewed as a canon from the Book of Rites in the Five Classics and Four Books edited by Zhu Xi, its interpretation cannot be freed from the textual meanings endowed by classics studies tradition. My research traces the interpretation history of the Doctrine to see the process of its being viewed as an author's text from classics tradition to contemporary academia. It was regarded as Zisi's book, Confucius's book, a mentality cultivation book that Confucius passes to Zisi, and a work of the Si-Meng school's Confucianist concepts. This study tries to make a new interpretation while reflecting former studies by studying its ＂Confucius said＂ materials, chapter of ＂Duke Ai Asks about Politics,＂ and the textual meaning of ＂Confucius succeeds to Emperor Yao and Emperor Shun's will.＂ The focus of this study's questions about the ＂pre- Qin text of the Doctrine of the Mean＂ is on the concept of ＂the author＂ text. I use the concept of ＂the heir＂ to overturn the conventional concept of text formation. I believe textual study is the basis of philosophy study. Once we reverse conventional opinions, we can have a new interpretation basis for philosophy research, philosophical interpretation, and understanding of pre-Qin Confucianism through the Doctrine of the Mean