歷史人物的形象、評價及有關記載，往往隨時間、環境而產生變化。例如本文研究的中心人物袁崇煥，形象變化甚大。袁崇煥的一生無疑是充滿色彩，亦因此生前死後的評價迥異: 在寧遠之戰後的一段時間，因為在戰場打敗了後金軍，袁崇煥被視為收復遼東的希望。然而，後金軍在己巳之變蹂躪京畿，而明朝亦被農民起義軍推翻，崇禎帝更自殺殉國，結局異常悲壯，明末遺民反思亡國教訓，指責袁崇煥錯殺毛文龍及與後金談判，令後者一度成為亡國罪人。直至清中葉，《明史》的編成及乾隆帝為平反冤案，才令袁崇煥名聲有所好轉。而在1903年，梁啟超於《新民叢報》發表之〈明季第一重要人物袁崇煥傳〉，令到袁崇煥晉身民族英雄之列。本文將追述袁崇煥的形象變化的歷史過程，指出後者是如何從昔日的亡國罪人，成為今日的民族英雄。

The image, evaluation and related records of the figures in history vary with time and circumstances. Yuan Chonghuan was the core of this study, there was a huge change on his image on the past five hundred years. At the late Ming, the death of Yuan had been considered as a turning point of the fall of the Ming dynasty. He was also considered as the hope to recover Liaodong after the victory of Ningyuan battle. However, Later Jin’s army harassed the capital city of Ming in 1629. The rule of Ming Dynasty was overthrown by Peasant rebellion in 1644 and Emperor Chong Zhen committed suicide. Therefore, Yuan was considered as a sinner by adherents of the Ming Dynasty, because he killed Mao Wenlong wrongly and negotiated with Later Jin. Yuan was vindicated by Qianlong who was emperor in the mid-Qing period, so as to promote the loyalty. Therefore, the reputation of Yuan was rehabilitated. Yuan was even promoted as national hero in an article called “Biography of the Most Important Personage in Late Ming- Yuanchonghuan”, that was published in ‘New Citizen Journal’ and written by Liang Qichao in 1903. The main mission of the paper is to observe the image changing of Yuan and point out how Yuan’s image transformed from sinner of the country to national hero.