尋繹外在世界常／異變化的軌則及原理，為六朝志怪所欲辯證的命題，反應著當時文人在面臨世變時，向未知世界找尋安身立命的不變理則。本文以《異苑》作為研究的範本，就書中「異」的描寫和闡述，剔抉當中所表述的自我認知、生命本質和帶引出的處世法則。其一、就外在環境所出現的異物來說，具備映襯人類在宇宙中的生命位階及身份。它能證明人屬於自然復具特殊性，尚且擁有創造特殊環境與形成自具規範區域的能力，惟人多囿於一己在有限時空下的見聞，以致茫昧未識自己的生命品格，致使未能用尊重與體諒的態度，對待已知與未知的生命個體。由物理變化觀察，異變的發生皆依循既定的理則，個人、外物甚而社會，無不依循此共通的物理性而運作。其二、就自我個體而言，人具有感通外物與察見生命趨往的能力。人的才性繫於主體意識，依才性品質差異能與品類不同但性質相近的物類感通，至於生命所寄的外在形體，在人必物故的鐵律下，於敗壞前於個體的周遭，必有非常的事件發生成為徵兆，若屬天年已盡，本應接受，惟尚需檢視自我作為，方可逃避操之在我出於人為的戕害。《異苑》以個人生命作為論述的核心，嘗試在非常的變異裡，尋得在亦屬非常的世局裡或可存在的處世方法。作者雖然已獲得以惕警處世、循理而行以面對亂世的結論，卻未能掩抑其中仍存在質疑及困惑，呈現自我矛盾的心理，得見此時的志怪書已遠離了好奇尚異的書寫筆調，在世變中意欲尋得安頓生命的理則，載負著文人焦慮及惶惶終日的困惑心理。

The Yiyuan (Garden of the extraordinary) is the subject of this study. Based on the description of extraordinary in this book, this study explained the author’s position on what should the literati have in recognizing their social status, the meaning of life and principles of conducting themselves in the society. First, as far as the occurrence of fantastic objects in the environment, it can set off the classification and status of life for human in the universe. From the view point of physical changes, the occurrence of unpredictable changes follows a fixed principle. Individual, things and materials, and environment all operate on the common physical nature. Second, as for individuals, man has the power to feel and connect with other objects and perceive the nature of life. The ability and nature of man ties with his spirits and animal forces and that represent the will. In accordance with this ability and nature, man has the psychic ability to communicate with other unrelated objects but of similar disposition. As for the body where the life resides, under the irrevocable rule that all men shall die, the occurrence of strange events before death is an omen. Yiyuan used the individual as the center of discussion, trying to find in the unpredictable changes, the way of conducting oneself in society that is likely to exist in times of upheaval.