先秦至西漢初期為「博士」一職濫觴時期；漢武帝置五經博士，博士遂為習五經之儒生所壟斷；漢宣帝集諸儒舉行的石渠閣會議後，方正式確立官學系統中專經博士的制度。其間博士的發展情況以及博士與儒的關係，前賢所論雖夥，然尚存有諸多疑義。本文預計分三部分針對此一課題進行探索，首先討論博士的起源及發展；其次論述博士學術成分的演變，依據博士的學術背景，可分為三個時期：諸子博士、五經博士與一經博士；最後探討西漢時期博士對儒家的影響，主要集中在官僚系統與政治層面。

The office of Doctor began between the Pre-Qin and the early Western Han. Then Emperor Wu of the Han established the Five Classics doctors, and the positions were monopolized by the Confucian scholars. Finally, Emperor Xuan of the Han, after the "Shiqu Ge" debate, established the system which required a doctor focusing on just one classic. Scholars have elaborated how the system was developed as well as its relation to Confucians. However, some problems are still waited to be solved. This article tries to illuminate these problems from three perspectives. First it discusses its origin and development. Second, it elaborates the contents of learning required by the doctor office. Finally, it explains how the system in the Western Han Dynasty had influenced the development of Confucianism especially concerning the bureaucratic system and the political effects.