學界對中古儒學的評價不高，研究亦多停留在相對表面的層次。但究諸實際，欲理解中古史和中古思想文化史，儒學仍有不可或缺的重要性。本文認為，吾人應將儒學視為一文化傳統，並將其置於中古思想史的脈絡中加以研究：經過東晉（317-420）以降南北分裂造成的衝擊，以及與其他文化傳統的互動，儒學傳統是以典籍和知識為基礎，以教化為務，旨在建立理想政治、社會秩序的文化傳統。以隋代唐初（六世紀末至七世紀中）為例，在中古前期儒學傳統遭破壞的背景下，隋朝以「復漢魏之舊」為目標，試圖綰合南北統一的現實與儒學傳統的政治和文化理想。初唐君臣反思隋朝速亡，更細緻地考慮儒學傳統和政治的關係，並在文學文化的刺激下，提出關於文治和治國當用儒者的論述。本文指出，儒學傳統在隋代唐初依然具備活力，並在政治領域享有規範性的影響力，型塑政治文化的面貌。

Confucian tradition in medieval China has long been seen as mundane and intellectually unstimulating, and receives relatively little scholarly attention. From the perspective of intellectual history, this article views Confucian tradition as a cultural tradition, and examines its place in the history of medieval China by focusing on how it shaped the representations of political culture in sixth and seventh century China, that is, the Sui (581-618) and the early Tang (618-907) periods. In medieval China, Confucian tradition was a cultural tradition based on a canon, from which political and ethical ideas were drawn. Its main characteristic was the quest to establish an ideal social and political order. Two given contexts are especially relevant. First, from the fourth century onward, there had been no unified empire but multiple warring regimes, which ideologically contradicted the ideal Confucian socio-political order. Second, there also existed other cultural traditions which made the appeal of Confucian tradition less favourable. As the Sui and the Tang reunified China, Confucian tradition once again had firmer ground on which to put its ideals into practice. It claimed to restore the tradition of the Han and Wei dynasties, and argued about the ways in which those literati and officials who were associated with Confucian tradition could benefit the state. At any rate, as far as its socio-political aspects are concerned, Confucian tradition in medieval China was vigorous and deserves further investigation.