本文主旨探詢魏校思想中如何處理心與理的關係，也關照其人生挫折下，心理的變化。魏校與王陽明在南京論辨朱陸異同，進而爭論復性工夫究竟為何？魏校要主靜持敬，陽明靠著心之靈，故魏校以陽明為禪，陽明認魏校只是「定氣」。隨著陽明逐漸體悟到心之靈為本心之明，為良知，為是非之心後，魏校仍持舊說。直至魏校歷經仕途的失敗、喪子喪孫絕後的壓力與門人背師的挫折，心中無主，靜不下來，思想產生變化。在晚年著作《六書精蘊》與《大學指歸》裡，皆採良知說立論，修正過去的心性觀點。

The main purpose of this article is to inquire into the relationship between “mind” 心 and “principle” 理 (also translated as “pattern”) in the thought of Wei Xiao 魏校 (1483-1543), as well as looking at the psychological changes in his life in the face of setbacks. In Nanjing, Wei Xiao and Wang Yangming 王陽明 (1472-1529) discussed the differences and similarities between Zhu Xi 朱熹 (1130-1200) and Lu Jiuyuan 陸九淵 (1139-1193), and then debated the cultivation of “restoring human nature” 復性. Wei Xiao desired to emphasize tranquility and hold onto reverence, whereas Wang Yangming relied on the numinous awareness of the mind; therefore, Wei Xiao positioned the thought of Wang as Chan Buddhism, while Wang Yangming assumed that Wei was merely “fixing (external) qi” 定氣. As Wang Yangming came to realize that the numinous awareness of the mind is the enlightenment of the mind, “innate knowledge” 良知, and the mind of compassion, Wei Xiao instead continued to maintain his old beliefs. It was not until Wei Xiao experienced the failure of his official career, the grief of losing his son and grandson, and the frustration of his disciples turning their backs on him, causing him to lose his mind and putting him at unease, that his thinking started to change. In his later writings, namely Liushu jingyun 六書精蘊 (Profound Essentials of the Six Types of Characters) and Daxue zhigui 大學指歸 (Direct Guide to the Great Learning), he adopted the theory of “innate knowledge” to revise his previous views on “mind” and “nature.”