元結生當道教興盛、儒學普及的開、天時期，受父、兄影響，具有相當明顯之道家思想，而不為儒學所限。故其立身行事雖具儒者風範，且被譽為「忠烈直清之臣」，卻喜自稱「漫家」，示與「規檢之徒」有別。他目睹時君日益奢靡，人心險薄，姦偽滋起，乃高歸於純樸，逐步學為明君、聖王。但他自言不敢頌湯、武，又不頌文王、周公、孔子，故前人嘗謂其「不師孔氏」，且以為非。其實，若以其未曾明文稱頌孔子，而與陳子昂、韓愈相較，固可謂其不甚尊孔；但若以其一生思想、言行觀之，則其不願落於形以尊孔，而寧「去聖之名，得聖之實」的苦心，亦較然可知也，故所謂「不師孔氏」，恐非篤論。

　　　　　Yiian Chieh was born at a time when Taoism flourished and Confucianism was popular during the ICai-ytian and T'ien-pao eras (713-755) of the Tang dynasty. Influenced by his father and elder brother, he was decidedly Taoist in thought and not bound by the confines of Confucian studies. Although his actions and behavior were Confucian and he was also praised as an "official loyal and pure," he liked to refer to himself as a "follower of all" and different from "believers in rules and form." Yiian Chieh lived at a time when he saw the court becoming more lavish and extravagant as people becoming increasingly superficial and debased, so he proposed the Taoist ideals of "simplicity" and "the sage of honesty and humility" in his political theories. Eulogizing and praising the ancient orthodox sages and rulers of antiquity, he hoped the emperor would return to the simplicity of the ancients and learn to become a true gentleman and sage ruler. However, he himself did not emphasize eulogizing these orthodox worthies of the antiquity@King T'ang of Shang, King Wu and Wen of Chou, the Duke of Chou, and Confucius, which is why scholars later claimed that he was "not a Confucian." Judging from Yiian Chieh's writings, one does not find obvious praise for these worthies and sages. When compared with Ch'en Tzu-ang and Han Yii, he does not appear to have paid open reverence for Confucius very much. Nonetheless, from his lifetime of thought, words, and actions, it is obvious that he did not want to be cast merely in the shadow of revering Confticius, but instead chose to "seek the truth rather than the name" ofConfUcius, which is far more difficult. As such, it turns out to be unfair to say that he was "not a Confucian."