本研究は、アヘン戦争と太平天国の乱を経験した中国の教訓を顧みて、「外夷」の侵略のみを重視し、「内乱」の対応を疎かにした中国の儒者に対する吉田松陰の批判を松陰研究の重要な視座として提起した。この視座に基づき、本研究の目的は、日本と中国の伝統社会から近代社会への移行期において、一定の政治的、思想的役割を演じた知識人、吉田松陰(1830-1850)と譚嗣同(1865-1898)の思想の特色を明らかにすることである。研究方法は、日中の権力・権威の構造という社会的秩序、列強進出という歴史的背景、両者が共通の基盤とした伝統的儒教という三つの側面から考察した。本研究が明らかにしたのは、吉田松陰と譚嗣同は、あるべき権力と権威の構造に対して、対照的な立場を示したということである。すなわち、前者の思想は、「不変の革命」ともいうべき「権威を守りながら権力構造を変える革命思想」と特徴づけられるのに対し、後者は、「変の革命」ともいうべき「自らの力で権威と権力を変える革命思想」と捉えることができる。

　This research is raised as an important viewpoint of the research on Yoshida shouin's thought that the criticism to China's Confucianist of Yoshida shouin, who reflect that lesson of China's experienced The Opium War and The revolt of Taiheitenkoku, which only the aggression of "foreign trouble" was taken seriously, and neglect the "civil strife". Based on this viewpoint, Shoin' thought is compared with Tancidong' thought, the purpose of this study is to declare the characteristic of thought of the two intellectuals Yoshida Shoin(1830-1850) and Tan Sitong(1865-1898), who played an important role in the switchover term from the traditional society to the modern society in Japan and China. The way of this research is to take a social view of the power and the authority of Japan and china, a historic view such as the invasion of western powers, and an idealistic view-traditional Confucianism which is considered a common basis of both Yoshida Shoin and Tan Sitong. All three of these points the order of traditional society and the historical context and the Confucian tradition are main factor as to analysis the thought of both Yoshida Shoin and Tan Sitong. besides is examined from three sides of the social order, the historical background and the traditional Confucianism. As for clearing it by this research, it is that Yoshida Shoin and Tan Sitong took a contrastive position toward the power and the authority of structure. This is Yoshida Shoin's thought can be characterized by "The revolution of un-change", which means the revolution of the structure of power without changing the present authority, or with keeping the Emperor's authority in Japan. and Tan Sitong's thought can be characterized by "The revolution of change", which means thought of a revolution which changes both authority and power by China's own power.