聖嚴法師的旅行書寫中包含了對歷史的繼承、回應、超越，乃至轉變等歷史特質。在文學史視域中，聖嚴法師的旅行書寫繼承了中國文學的「行記」傳統，使此傳統在現代社會得以新面貌延續。他的旅行書寫雖可視為臺灣返鄉文學的範疇，但深刻佛理的呈現使其作品成為超越潮流之作。有關法鼓山的記敘使他的旅行書寫少了一些「遊」的成分，卻在旅行文學中獨創一格，更隱隱然改變了旅行文學的內涵。在生命史視域中，聖嚴法師的旅行書寫顯現「遊記」與「傳記」交錯疊合的現象，此現象與其寫作方法及對旅行的定義有關。他的遊記多採用日記體，由寥寥數字的記要備忘發展而成。他對旅行意義的界定，不僅指向外顯性的空間移動，更指涉內在生命旅程的推進，故常將個人生命史中的事件寫進他的旅行著作中。以佛教史的視域，聖嚴法師以旅行弘法教學，也期待透過旅行書寫引導讀者獲得佛理法義。他也以旅行書寫保存文獻，使他的文章具有理性的認知與思維，不僅為臺灣的旅行文學開創新貌，更使其旅行書寫成為歷史的載體。在他的文章中，旅行者實際參與參訪地的佛教活動，不僅增加了旅行的深度，也產生以旅行回歸法源的殊勝意義。

The title of this study is: “A Study on the Historical Characteristics of Master Shengyen’s Travel Writings”. In the religious history of China and other countries, traveling is thought to be an essential act of religious practices and preaching. In the progression of the transformation and development of Chinese Buddhism, the travels of many eminent monks have set up an important tradition in Chinese culture. The travels of Master Shengyen are both innovative and continuously, therefore his travel writings naturally and profoundly reflect many historical characteristics. However, such historical characteristics are much different from those shown in the works of the eminent monks in Chinese religion history such as Faxian 法顯 of Eastern Jin and Xuanzang 玄奘 of Tang. This study will try to probe into the historical characteristics and meanings of ages in the travel writings of Master Shengyen through the aspects of Chinese Buddhist literature, Chinese modern literature and Taiwan literature, hoping to show forth the significance of Master Shengyen’s travel writings in the history of Taiwan literature, Chinese modern literature and Chinese Buddhist literature.