《文選》成書於何時？編者是蕭統還是劉孝綽？〈文選序〉的作者又是誰？序文寫於成書前或成書後？〈文選序〉表現出怎樣的文學觀？編纂義例又如何？還有《文選》與《文心雕龍》關係密切嗎？〈文選序〉和《文選》有無歧異之處？凡此種種，皆是研究選學必須面對的重要課題，也是選學家爭論不休的焦點。筆者以為，〈文選序〉其實透露許多蛛絲馬跡，吾人若能按圖索驥，詳加辨析，對於釐清上述疑案，將有莫大裨益。本篇論文並不預設立場，貿然提出主觀看法，一切皆以證據為依歸。全篇章節安排，「前言」從新文選學者發表論點，與傳統選學家交相辯詰起始，筆者認為〈文選序〉能讓諸多問題迎刃而解，於是由〈文選序〉出發，先究明〈文選序〉作者應是蕭統，而非劉孝綽。接著分析〈文選序〉編纂義例，闡說其選文標準是「以能文為本」。如此文學觀與《文心雕龍》的理論建構、《文選》的編輯成書，又有何異同？四、五兩節分別比較之，發現〈文選序〉與二書各有五項歧異杆格處，顯見《文心雕龍》與《文選》編纂現念不全然一致：而〈文選序〉與《文選》既存在矛盾，則《文選》編者就有必要進一步考察，由於編者的纂輯尚牽涉成書年代，故第六節一併論述之。第七節則是辨析〈文選序〉寫作時間為書成之前或後。最終再將研究所得扼要作結。

When was Zhaoming Wenxuan completed? Who was the editor? Xiao Tong or Liu Xiaochuo? Who wrote the Prefaces of Wenxuan? When were the Prefaces written? Before or after its completion? What is the literature outlook? What is the editing style? What kind of relation between Zhaoming Wenxuan and Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons? Is there any difference between the Prefaces of Wenxuan and Zhaoming Anthology of Literature? All these important questions will be discussed in the study and that are also the arguable points for related researchers. The researcher believes that the Prefaces of Wenxuan has actually disclosed many clues. If it can be well analyzed the related questions can all be answered.