「國文」此一概念從醞釀成型到進入正規學制，並非橫空出世，一蹴而躋，而是在長時期不斷的摸索研議之中歧路徘徊，步履躊躇，始得終底於成。其間的千迴百轉，其實是連串觀念、制度、文體想像、教材教法的不斷嘗試調整，亦所以投射出時代轉型、空間移易之際的多方折衝。本文以四〇年代的幾種大學國文教材選本為討論起點，研究目的不在於就現代大學之國文教育問題進行全面性研探，而是希望以少總多，揭示其間的「問題性」，進而深入思辨。全文首先梳理「國文」概念的生成及其在現代大學課程設置的源起；繼而論析四〇年代大一國文教材選本中的「文／白」、「語／文」問題，以及其中的國族意識、文化想像與語文形構；最後，則就「國」與「文」所衍生的問題，進行反思。

Beginning from constructing its concept, “national language” has taken a long time to become institutionalized in primary and secondary educations of China and Taiwan respectively. This journey is convoluted. It not only involves constant adjustments to various perceptions, institutions, styles, and pedagogy, but also reflects the negotiations of changing values regarding Mandarin Chinese as the “national language” under a spatial and temporal transition. This study focuses on several selected Chinese textbooks for college freshmen respectively in China and Taiwan in the 1940s. Rather than a comprehensive examination, the study aims to problematize and reevaluate the relations between the establishment of modern universities and national language education. This article will first revisit the making of “national language” and its application into college education as a mandatory curriculum. It then discusses the core issues of the education, such as the proportion of “modern/ classical” and “spoken/ written” Chinese, formalism in Chinese language, cultural imagination, and national consciousness. Finally, it moves on to rethinking the issues concerning “nation” and “language” in the national language education program.