玄學的理想人格意指魏晉玄學在其形上思想和人性觀的基礎下所衍生的人生價值理想及完美的生命境界。本文先藉著先秦儒道兩家的理想人格做一對比性的論述，從而抽繹出魏晉玄學理想人格說的脈絡流變，再以時代之精神需求為背景，透過葛洪《抱朴子•外篇》所蘊涵之理想人格的層層意含，揭示其特色，論評可能的得失。《抱朴子•內篇》多言道敎方術，然而《外篇》主要論及人間得失及世事臧否，以儒家立場以告誡時人和寄意後世。本文以時代與玄學互動為架構，深入〈外篇〉的理想人格內涵及實現其境界的修養工夫。同時，文中更剖析其理想人格通往外王的作用表現，詮解其意義，論評其得失。
The Wei-Jin dynasty Xun Xue used their metaphysical tendencies and their basic view of life in proposing an ideal set of values and a perfect life for human kind. This article contrasts the ideal character between the pre-Qin Daoists and Confucianists in order to abstract the changing thinking of the Wei-Jin metaphsicians with regards to ideal character. To enable us to better understand the spirit of the time, I would like to lood at the finer points of the ”Bao Pu Outer chapters” of the metaphysican Ge Hong and his notion of the ideal character. The ”Bao Pu Inner Chapters” are mostly concerned with te Daoist religion while the ”Outer Chapters” deal with the realm of human interaction. They proceed from a Confucian perspective in admonishing the people of the time and expressing hope for a better life in future generations. This article attempts to abstract a structure from the fluctuating times of the Xuan Xue period to more deeply delve into the ideal character and how to achieve it found in the ”Outer Chapters”. I would like to also simultaneously analyze the ideal character's highest expression, that of the Chinese ideal of ”outer kingliness.”
