韓嬰的思想(xiang)主張為(wei)廣泛傳(chuan)(chuan)播儒(ru)家思想(xiang),為(wei)漢(han)武帝(di)“罷(ba)黜百家,獨(du)尊儒(ru)術”作了思想(xiang)準備。《漢(han)書·藝文志》《易》類有(you)《韓氏》二(er)篇(pian);《詩(shi)》類有(you)《韓故(gu)》36卷(juan),《韓內傳(chuan)(chuan)》四(si)卷(juan)、《韓外傳(chuan)(chuan)》六卷(juan)、《韓說》四(si)十一(yi)卷(juan)。南(nan)宋以后,僅存《韓詩(shi)外傳(chuan)(chuan)》。清趙(zhao)懷玉輯(ji)《韓詩(shi)內傳(chuan)(chuan)》佚(yi)文。馬(ma)國翰《玉函山房輯(ji)佚(yi)書》輯(ji)有(you)《韓詩(shi)故(gu)》二(er)卷(juan)、《韓詩(shi)內傳(chuan)(chuan)》一(yi)卷(juan),《韓詩(shi)說》一(yi)卷(juan)。
韓嬰繼承和發揚(yang)了(le)儒家(jia)(jia)思想,其(qi)(qi)思想直(zhi)接承襲(xi)荀子(zi),但又尊(zun)信(xin)孟子(zi),以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)“法先王(wang)”代(dai)替(ti)“法后王(wang)”,以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)“人性善”代(dai)替(ti)“人性惡”。使(shi)儒家(jia)(jia)內部斗爭(zheng)最激(ji)烈(lie)的兩(liang)派觀點(dian)達到統一(yi)。他吸收周秦(qin)觀點(dian),并加以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)改造和更(geng)新,認為(wei)(wei)“福生(sheng)于(yu)無(wu)為(wei)(wei),而患(huan)生(sheng)于(yu)多欲(yu)”。統治(zhi)者(zhe)必(bi)(bi)須節(jie)制欲(yu)望(wang),“輕徭薄賦”,“使(shi)民(min)以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)時”,避(bi)免戰(zhan)爭(zheng);以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)“謙德”為(wei)(wei)立身(shen)(shen)行(xing)(xing)事的準則,即(ji)“德行(xing)(xing)寬裕守(shou)(shou)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)恭者(zhe)榮,土地廣大(da)守(shou)(shou)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)儉者(zhe)安,祿位(wei)尊(zun)盛守(shou)(shou)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)卑(bei)者(zhe)貴,人眾兵(bing)強守(shou)(shou)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)畏者(zhe)勝,聰明睿智守(shou)(shou)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)愚(yu)者(zhe)哲,博聞強記(ji)守(shou)(shou)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)淺者(zhe)智”。大(da)足以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)治(zhi)天下(xia)(xia),中足以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)安國家(jia)(jia),近足以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)守(shou)(shou)其(qi)(qi)身(shen)(shen)”。為(wei)(wei)了(le)維護大(da)一(yi)統,他主張(zhang)忠(zhong)(zhong)高于(yu)一(yi)切,孝從屬(shu)于(yu)忠(zhong)(zhong),若忠(zhong)(zhong)孝必(bi)(bi)舍其(qi)(qi)一(yi),則寧做忠(zhong)(zhong)臣(chen),不(bu)(bu)(bu)為(wei)(wei)孝子(zi)。臣(chen)下(xia)(xia)對(dui)(dui)(dui)君(jun)主要“以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)道覆君(jun)而化之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)”,“以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)德調君(jun)而輔之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)”。對(dui)(dui)(dui)君(jun)主進(jin)(jin)諫(jian)要講究方式,他認為(wei)(wei)比干(gan)“殺身(shen)(shen)以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)彰君(jun)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)惡,不(bu)(bu)(bu)忠(zhong)(zhong)也”。伍子(zi)胥(xu)“以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)諫(jian)非君(jun)而惡之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)”,是“下(xia)(xia)忠(zhong)(zhong)”。因而反(fan)對(dui)(dui)(dui)廉(lian)潔直(zhi)方,不(bu)(bu)(bu)贊(zan)成(cheng)傳(chuan)統儒家(jia)(jia)崇敬的伯夷,叔齊、卞隨、介(jie)子(zi)推、原(yuan)憲等(deng)人的廉(lian)潔氣節(jie),而贊(zan)成(cheng)柳下(xia)(xia)惠不(bu)(bu)(bu)羞污君(jun),不(bu)(bu)(bu)辭(ci)小官(guan)(guan),進(jin)(jin)不(bu)(bu)(bu)隱賢(xian),必(bi)(bi)由其(qi)(qi)道,厄窮而不(bu)(bu)(bu)憫(min),遺佚而不(bu)(bu)(bu)怨(yuan)”,從而使(shi)臣(chen)民(min)不(bu)(bu)(bu)為(wei)(wei)名不(bu)(bu)(bu)為(wei)(wei)利,能上能下(xia)(xia),不(bu)(bu)(bu)憫(min)不(bu)(bu)(bu)怨(yuan)。不(bu)(bu)(bu)恥污君(jun),不(bu)(bu)(bu)辭(ci)小官(guan)(guan),百依百順(shun)的順(shun)民(min)。
他繼(ji)承和發(fa)揚了(le)孟子的(de)“貴民(min)(min)”的(de)思想。認(ren)(ren)(ren)為(wei)(wei)(wei)“百(bai)(bai)姓與之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)則(ze)(ze)(ze)安,輔之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)則(ze)(ze)(ze)強,非(fei)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)則(ze)(ze)(ze)危,倍之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)則(ze)(ze)(ze)亡”。統治(zhi)者要“以(yi)(yi)(yi)百(bai)(bai)姓為(wei)(wei)(wei)天(tian)(tian)”,要想治(zhi)理(li)天(tian)(tian)下,必(bi)須(xu)“養(yang)民(min)(min)”。統治(zhi)階級必(bi)須(xu)不(bu)(bu)(bu)淫佚侈靡(mi),應節儉,“用不(bu)(bu)(bu)靡(mi)時(shi),養(yang)不(bu)(bu)(bu)害生(sheng)”,以(yi)(yi)(yi)達到“天(tian)(tian)下和平,國家(jia)安寧”,為(wei)(wei)(wei)此,必(bi)須(xu)“教(jiao)民(min)(min)”。以(yi)(yi)(yi)為(wei)(wei)(wei)“愚民(min)(min)百(bai)(bai)萬(wan),不(bu)(bu)(bu)為(wei)(wei)(wei)有民(min)(min)”。重申以(yi)(yi)(yi)儒家(jia)思想教(jiao)育民(min)(min)眾,提出“國之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)命(ming)在(zai)禮(li)(li)”的(de)主張,認(ren)(ren)(ren)為(wei)(wei)(wei)“人(ren)無禮(li)(li)則(ze)(ze)(ze)不(bu)(bu)(bu)生(sheng),事無禮(li)(li)不(bu)(bu)(bu)成,王公由(you)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)所以(yi)(yi)(yi)-天(tian)(tian)下也(ye)(ye),不(bu)(bu)(bu)由(you)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),所以(yi)(yi)(yi)隕社稷(ji)也(ye)(ye)”。否定了(le)孔子的(de)克己復禮(li)(li),繼(ji)承和發(fa)揚荀(xun)子“禮(li)(li)起于欲(yu)(yu)”,“養(yang)人(ren)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)欲(yu)(yu),給(gei)入之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)求”的(de)主張,提出“因情(qing)從(cong)(cong)欲(yu)(yu)”的(de)觀點,認(ren)(ren)(ren)為(wei)(wei)(wei)“人(ren)的(de)六情(qing),目欲(yu)(yu)視好色,耳欲(yu)(yu)聽宮(gong)商,鼻欲(yu)(yu)嗅(xiu)芳香,口(kou)欲(yu)(yu)嗜甘(gan)旨(zhi),其(qi)(qi)身體四肢(zhi)欲(yu)(yu)安而(er)(er)不(bu)(bu)(bu)作,衣欲(yu)(yu)被文繡而(er)(er)輕暖,此六者,民(min)(min)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)六情(qing)也(ye)(ye)。失之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)則(ze)(ze)(ze)亂,從(cong)(cong)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)則(ze)(ze)(ze)穆,故(gu)圣王之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)教(jiao)其(qi)(qi)民(min)(min)也(ye)(ye),必(bi)因其(qi)(qi)情(qing)而(er)(er)節之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)以(yi)(yi)(yi)禮(li)(li),必(bi)從(cong)(cong)其(qi)(qi)欲(yu)(yu)而(er)(er)制之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)以(yi)(yi)(yi)義(yi)(yi),義(yi)(yi)簡而(er)(er)備,禮(li)(li)易而(er)(er)法,去情(qing)不(bu)(bu)(bu)遠,故(gu)民(min)(min)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)從(cong)(cong)命(ming)也(ye)(ye)速”。否定孔子“禮(li)(li)不(bu)(bu)(bu)下庶(shu)人(ren)”的(de)觀點,主張對百(bai)(bai)姓“教(jiao)御以(yi)(yi)(yi)禮(li)(li)義(yi)(yi)”,認(ren)(ren)(ren)為(wei)(wei)(wei)“百(bai)(bai)禮(li)(li)洽則(ze)(ze)(ze)百(bai)(bai)意遂,百(bai)(bai)意遂則(ze)(ze)(ze)陰陽調,陰陽調則(ze)(ze)(ze)寒(han)暑(shu)均(jun)(jun),寒(han)暑(shu)均(jun)(jun)則(ze)(ze)(ze)三(san)光(guang)清,三(san)光(guang)清則(ze)(ze)(ze)風雨(yu)時(shi)。風雨(yu)時(shi)則(ze)(ze)(ze)群生(sheng)寧,如是雨(yu)天(tian)(tian)道得矣”。