韩愈是秦汉以后儒家思想哲理化过程中的重要环节。韩愈的道统学说与两宋理学家的政治哲学有着不可否认的渊源关系，之于“道”的理解及其“性三品”说，对宋代理学家有着十分重要的启示意义。由于形上素养的不足，韩愈的道统学说也存在着明显的理论局限，宋代理学家对韩愈的道统学说虽然多所称道，但也作出了十分重要的理论修正。这是宋代理学家不肯承认韩愈的道统学说是道学的源头的根本原因。

Han Yu’s Theory of Confucian Orthodoxy and the Political Philosophy of the Song Neo-Confucians    Sun Xiaochun

  Han Yu is an important thinker in the philosophizing course of Confucianism after the Qin and Han Dynasties. There was an undeniable relationship between Han’s orthodoxy theory and the political philosophy of the Neo-Confucians in the Song Dynasty. His comprehension of Tao and human nature had enlightened the Neo-Confucians’ thoughts in the Song Dynasty. Yet there was some limitation in Han’s theory resulted from his lack of metaphysical thinking. Although praised Han Yu’s theory of orthodoxy somewhat, the philosophers in the Song Dynasty also made some significant amendment on it, and that was the reason why they did not recognize Han’s orthodoxy theory as the theoretical origin of Neo-Confucianism.