本文对不得已从儒者向学者转变的清朝知识分子的意识形态和社会形态进行解明的同时, 对由作为与政治、道德密切相关的智慧(wisdom)的学问, 向追求“实事求是”之中性知识(knowledge)的学问转变的清朝学术史之一端进行了描绘。目的在于借此解明中国近世末期城市型知识分子意识的变貌。虽然本文仅仅举了阎若璩和章学诚二例而已, 但试图藉以论证他们所提出的知的理论, 正是中国近代学术知识之萌芽。

The traditional Chinese intellectual culture created and unde rtaken by literati or scholar-officials had a change in the end of modern times. Due to an impetus from urban intellectuals, there emerged a modernization of knowledge. On the one side, objects of knowledge changed and a pursuit of particular knowledge itself as a science received a social common recognition. On the other, it follo wed a transformation from gentleman to scholar and professionalization of learning. The cases of Yan Ruoqu and Zhang Xuecheng were two excellent proofs of the development of Chinese academic knowledge from pre-modern to modern.