"自由"一词在东汉经学家郑玄的《礼记注》中就已经出现，后来在《后汉书》等史学著作中不断出现，但主要意思都是指与制度、秩序相违背的一种个人的任性行为，因而主要表现为一种负价值。但在唐诗中出现的"自由"一词，其所表达的价值取向则主要是一种正面的价值诉求，主要义涵涉及四个方面：一是对政治上、官场上不自由的反抗；二是对身心、情感上不自由状态的不满；三是指一种与个人自主的目的性相关的自由意志；四是指一种与宗教的解脱生活相关的自由意志。但在整体上都表现了对自由感获得之肯定。严复曾说，"自由"是中国历古圣贤所深畏的一种价值，从未以之"立教"。从经学的角度看，严复所言大致不差。若从唐诗的角度看，"自由"已经成为部分诗人所追求的一种正面价值。发掘传统文化中有利于当代价值观建设的文化遗产，是当代传统文化研究的一项义不容辞的责任。

The term "ziyou" (freedom) appeared as early as the Eastern Han Dynasty in ZHENG Xuan's Commentary on the Book of Rites. It was repeatedly used in the historical records such as the Book of the Eastern Han Dynasty. In these books, it mainly means a negative value referring to an individual's willful behavior that disobeys social system or order. However, it is quite positive in Tang poetry in the following five aspects:1. Resisting the constraint or the lack of liberty in politics or in official circles; 2. Complaining the lack of freedom in personal life and feelings; 3. The free will related to self-independence; 4. The free will related to the ultimate religious freedom; 5. The feeling of pleasure when one enjoys freedom. The former three express the longing for freedom when it is absent, while the latter two positively express and confirm the value of "ziyou". YAN Fu was correct when he claimed that "ziyou" was a value about which Chinese sages were apprehensive, not to mention basing their teachings on it. However, in Tang poetry, we can see that "ziyou" has become a positive value that some poets pursued. It is our duty to study traditional culture so as to elaborate and highlight the cultural heritage that is conducive to promoting contemporary values.