王夫之是清代最先用文學眼光研究《詩經》的人，他從文學的視角評賞《詩》的意蘊和特色，對《詩經》進行審美性的意義解讀，其論《詩》的文學闡釋主要有四個特點。首先，他特別提倡《詩經》在創作與鑑賞方面的詩學表現；其次，他論《詩》強調其中所含情、意、景、理、事五大要素；其三，主張《詩》中虛實相濟的藝術思維與實踐；其四，特別重視《詩經》對後世文學的影響。綜合之，王夫之論《詩》的可貴之處，一在於他的主張彼此間往往具有相反相成的關係，另一則是他同時兼顧到「作者理論」，與「讀者理論」，這些都是非常進步且可貴的看法，初步奠定了其詩學理論的基礎，也開啟了清代以文學研究《詩經》的先路。

WANG Fu-Chih was the first interpreter in the Ching Dynasty, who studied "the Book of Odes" with literally explanation method. With the point view of literature significance and features he commented "the Book of Odes" profoundly. He was capable of appreciation of the beautiful of "the Book of Odes". Four characteristics were stressed by him: Firstly, he interlocked the creation inspiration with intelligence appreciation in "the Book of Odes". Secondly, showing up all specialties, he completed the five features of "the Book of Odes" were feelings, meanings, scenes, theories and events in the contexts. Thirdly, he compared by contract artistic thought with fulfillment in reality and unreality world of "the Book of Odes". Fourthly, he thought of the literary influence of "the Book of Odes" to the later generations. All in all, the essence of "the Book of Odes", he would like to see the contrast and the support of the context of "the Book of Odes" on one hand, on the other hands, he combined "writers theory" with "readers theory", which were are much progressive and useful, was based on his advanced theory idea and established his modern research method of "the Book of Odes".