中國先哲論「命」，至少分「天命」、「時命」兩大系。「天命」一系的「命」論，早見於《詩》《書》，經由鄒衍「五德終始說」的變造，與董仲舒的推闡，轉化成為漢代的「王命」論。「時命」、「運命」一系的「命」論，則是東周以降諸子對人自身生命的無奈與定限所做的應對與處理。它隨著諸子各派，強烈的族群自性，展現出異中有同的一致性。這「時命」、「運命」一系的「命」論，到了王充，特別強烈地突露著個人的形影。本文即欲對此天命、時命兩路之命論，作思想史之探索，冀能清楚鉤勒出兩路命論之歧分與發展脈絡。

Ancient Chinese philosophers’ theories of “ming” (命, destiny) were distinguished at least into the two systems of the “mandate of heaven” and the “lot.” The theories connected to the “mandate of heaven” were always about the “transfers of political powers,” an issue already addressed in The Classic of Poetry and The Classic of History. After being transformed by Zuo Yan’s “theory of the cycle of the five virtues,” these theories were developed into the doctrines about the “kingly mandate” in the Han Dynasty. The theories in the system of the “lot” were about how the scholars had responded to and dealt with the frustration and limits posed by one’s own life ever since the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. Due to the strong characteristics of the many scholars and schools, these theories presented some coherence among all the inconsistencies. Wang Chong’s theory was strongly expressive of his personal style.