朱棣為強調政權之合法性，試圖以儒學建構其政權之正統性，以至為自己塑造「聖王」形象。此種政治文化的建構，且進一步發展為文化政治的操作。本文即嘗試對此種政治文化的塑造與文化政治的操作進行分析。
本文由四個面向展開討論：一、武力與文治：概略勾勒成祖之歷史形象，追究其推行文治之意圖與根由。二、方孝孺障礙：分析朱棣篡位成功後，新政權所面臨的合法性問題，尤其誅殺方孝孺造成的文治困境。三、禮樂之治與聖學傳統：討論成祖如何透過禮樂論述建立其政權之「正統性」，並考察他如何為明太祖和自己塑造「聖王」形象，以致發展出一套結合道統與治統的帝王學。四、儒學正統與正統儒學：考察成祖如何透過四書、五經與《性理大全》的編纂，將儒學「正統」化，並討論此種正統思想如何支配明代前期之學術發展。

Since Zhu Di ascended to the throne by usurpation, he then contemplated justifying the legitimacy of his rule through Confucianism so as to fabricate himself as a great emperor. This kind of construction of political culture gradually shaped the cultural politics. Therefore, from the following four aspects, this paper attempts to analyze Emperor Yongle’s cultural and educational policies that were not only the most important political missions during his reign but also crucial methods by which the grandeur of the Great Ming Empire was constructed.
Firstly, the military force, and cultural politics: depicting the historical images of Emperor Yongle and investigating the root and purpose of his cultural and educational policies. Secondly, the Fang Xiaoru obstacle: analyzing the problem of legitimacy of this new imperial court that Emperor Yongle confronted after his usurpation of the throne, and also the tough situation of his cultural and educational policies after Fang Xiaoru was sentenced to death by him. Thirdly, ruling by ritual and music, and the tradition of sage rulers: discussing how Emperor Yongle established and stabilized the legitimacy of his rule through discourses on ritual and music, how he created images of sage rulers for Emperor Hongwu and himself, and what kind of systematic Emperor’s Learning he formulated. Fourthly, Confucian orthodoxy and orthodox Confucianism: examining how Emperor Yongle made Confucianism orthodox by compiling Sishu Daquan, Wujing Daquan, and Xingli Daquan, and how this orthodox Confucian ideology dominated scholarly developments during the early Ming dynasty.