魏晉玄學的形而上脈絡，基本上是在對比情境�堮i開。首先，由才性與人性的對比，玄學發現了人心的能動，乃由此開發出人心的無盡的自由。接著，在情性與人性以對比歷程中，聖人持中達變的人格取向於是循「中道」而行，以至於情理交融、身心兼得的人生實存之境界。最後在理性與人性的共通場域�堙A理性乃終能免於異化，而人性也終可在自然與人文的不斷調和的過程中成就其真實之人義。因此，魏晉玄學的人性論確實突出了生命之美感，並培成了理性高度的鑑察力，而美感與鑑察力又總歸於人格理想之實現－此正是以回應「人是什麼」的根本問題；同時，人性論的理論形式乃終可經由人之自由之開發而不斷被消解於玄深的意義壤土中。

　　　　　The metaphysical slant of the Neo-Daoist (Xuan Xue) school of the Weri-Jin Dynasties basically grew out of a contrast to the times. Initially, while contrasting innate abilities with human nature, the Neo- Daoists discovered the power of the human mind and proceeded to develop the theory of the mind's unlimited freedom. In contrasting human nature and emotional states, the Sage (sheng ren) aims at adjusting human, character to meet a “Golden Mean”. The Sage tries to unite emotion with reason in order to harmonize the mind and body in a truer realm. Eventually, when reason and human nature are on a common ground, reason can eradicate alienation. From here, human nature would be elevated to the point where it could harmonize the world of man and the world of nature, completing a truer meaning for human life. Consequently, the Wei-Jin Neo-Daoist theory of human nature was able to contribute a very definite life aesthetic. In cultivating a power of reasoning with this aesthetic, an approach to the basic question of “What is Man?” is developed.