五德終始論為鄒衍所倡，此論以五行相勝原理闡釋朝代之更遞。本文主要從兩個部分，論述五德終始論的「命」思想及其當代意義。第一部分，五德終始論的「命」思想。此部分，由三方面進行闡述：一、鄒衍倡五德終始論的目的；二、五德終始論的結構與意義；三、五德終始論的「命」思想。並由此結論五德終始論的「命」思想具有四層含義，即天命、德命、使命與天道流行義，其尚德之天命思想雖源自傳統天命觀，但與殷周之際、先秦儒家的天命論卻有極大不同；再者，五德終始論絕不可斷之為命定思想。第二部分，五德終始論「命」思想的當代意義。此部分，由三方面予以論述：一、培養中國人敬順昊天、安時處順，與自然和諧共處的情感；二、隱含的祿命思想，突出了人類能夠預測事物未然狀態之信心，以及通過天道尋求轉變之努力；三、彰顯的尚德思想及以厚生民之政治理想，堪為後人所踐履。

The theory of the cycle of the five virtues was advocated by Zuo Yan, illuminating the changeover of dynasties by the principle of the five elements conquering one another. Here it is assumed that the thought of “ming” (命, destiny) in the theory of the cycle of the five virtues consists of four levels of meaning: the mandate of heaven, the mandate of virtue, the mission and the pervasion of the way of heaven. Though the virtue-esteeming thought of the mandate of heaven originated from the traditional view about this mandate, the Pre-qin Confucians’ theories of the mandate of heaven were hugely distinct from the theories developed during the turn from the Shang Dynasty to the Zhou Dynasty; moreover, the theory about the cycle of the five virtues should not be concluded as the theory of the pre-determination of destiny. As a theory of “ming,” the contemporary meanings of the theory about the cycle of the five virtues can be induced as follows: first, it cultivates Chinese people’s feelings of respectfully following the heaven, quietly acquiescing in what happens at its proper time, and being in harmony with nature; second, it implies the thought about fate, which brings out human beings’ confidence in predicting beforehand and their efforts in seeking changes via the way of heaven; third, it manifests the thought of virtue esteeming and the political ideal of securing a better livelihood, which should be put in practice by later generations.