孟子建構堯、舜、禹、湯聖聖相承的歷史系譜，藉此申明個人懷抱，聖化史觀，成為後人援引之材料。「致君堯、舜上」是儒者無可迴避的責任，宋儒從功利回歸於心性，期許救贖陷溺人心，乃是熙寧變法之後，反省新學的結果。堯、舜、禹、湯、文、武、周公等聖人為孔學之淵源，孟子、荀子、揚雄、王通、韓愈等五賢為孔學之羽翼，從孟子承孔子之絕學，進而及於孔子、曾子、子思、孟子道統系譜的建構，朱熹融鑄前賢議論，回歸於聖門傳道思考，從結構安排、詮釋細節，乃至於傳承脈絡，細加推敲，巧妙詮釋，儒學情懷得以顯豁，聖人精神得以朗現，《四書章句集注》遂有深刻之義理內涵。檢覈宋儒題稱聖人系譜的轉變，足見「道統」出於歷代的積累，也是朱熹建構的成果。*

Mencius has constructed the historical pedigree of sages, from Yao, Shun, Yu, to Tang, in order to express his own aspiration. The sainted historical viewpoint then became the reference of later generations. Being as virtuous as Yao or Shun was a calling to many gentlemen. Therefore, they took mind much more seriously than utility in order to save depraved heart. The work is definitely the result of their reflection on the study of sages. Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang, Wen, Wu, and the Duke of Zhou were all the enlighteners of Confucius, while Mencius, Xunzi, Yang Xiong, Wang Tong, and Han Yu were the followers of Confucius’ study. According to the context, there were two pedigrees of the Succession to the Way (Daotong). First, Mencius was the only one who understood and then passed on Confucius’ study to the following generations. Second, the pedigree was a continuous line, which is from Confucius, Zengzi, Zisi, and then to Mencius. Zhu Xi combined all intellects’ comments and recovered all sages’ thoughts of preaching, which included the arrangement of structure, interpretation of details, and coherent context. On the basis of Zhu’s exploration, we can understand the core of Confucianism as well as the sages’ mind. To be sure, The Exegesis of the Collections of Texts from the Four Books is full of perspicacious doctrine. The change of pedigree of sages in the Song Dynasty indicates that the Succession to the Way was not only accumulated by many dynasties, but also the fruit of Zhu’s construction.