道學獨尊的明代前期，屈原受到道學家和臺閣文人的批判，導致了楚辭學的沉寂。當時只有朱子《楚辭集註》流行於世。由於朱註被認為從儒家的角度規範了《楚辭》，因此擁有不可動搖的權威地位。明代中葉以後，學術風氣產生了巨大的轉變，新的楚辭著述相應出現。周用《楚詞註略》是得風氣之先的一種。周用長期身居高位，作品繼承了臺閣文風，但他對於《楚辭》的興趣卻顯示出道學對臺閣文人影響的式微。此書篇幅雖然簡短，卻率先提出了不少異於朱註的意見。周用對屈原抱持著遠較其前輩正面的態度，將論析的篇章鎖定於屈原作品，從詞章、而非僅從義理的角度來研究《楚辭》。此外，周用對各篇創作年代、〈九歌〉篇數等專題的考據推論，也與稍後眾多的楚辭註家是一脈相承的。本文嘗試分析此書，論評其得失，以見明代楚辭學方興未艾之際的相關著述之特色。

In the early Ming period when Neo-Confucianism was orthodox, Qu Yuan (ca.343-ca.277B.C.) was criticized by the Neo-Confucianists and the high officials in the court, and therefore the study of Chu Ci was in a low key, with the only exception of Zhu Xi’s(1130-1200) Chu Ci Jizhu 楚辭集註 (Collected Commentary on Chu Ci). That is because Zhu Xi’s approach was seen as the orthodox Confucian perspective and hence the unchallengeable status of his commentary. After the Mid-Ming times, there occurred a great change in the academic climate, a surge of new studies on Chu Ci was initiated. Zhou Yong’s Chu Ci Zhulüe 楚詞註略 (Concise Commentary on Chu Ci) was the one among them. Being a high official, Zhou’s literary works shows a perspective related to the court style and concern; Chu Ci Zhulüe, however, reveals the fading out of the Neo-Confucian influence. Though short and concise, this commentary can be seen as a pioneer work to display opinions quite different from those of Zhu Xi’s. Zhou explicates Chu Ci from a perspective that concentrates more on the literary elements of the work itself than on its political and ethical grounds. In addition, Zhou’s discussions and speculations on the dating of each chapter of Chu Ci, and his treatise on Jiu Ge (Nine Songs) in effect paves the ways for later commentators on Chu Ci. This article will look into the aspects of this book, evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, so as to provide a general picture of Chu Ci studies in the Ming dynasty.