冯桂芬是学术界争议颇大的人物。关于他的思想的评价，大体有三种意见：有的把冯桂芬视为地主阶级改革派思想家；有的认为冯桂芬属于洋务派，亦即反动的、卖国的思想家；有的把冯桂芬划归“早期维新派”。笔者认为，冯桂芬是洋务思潮的开先声者与洋务思潮起始阶段的主要代表人 Feng Guifen is a controversial academic figures. There are generally three opinions on his evaluation of his ideas: some regard Feng Guifen as a landlord-class reformist thinker, others think that Feng Guifen belongs to the Westernization School, that is, reactionary and sold-country thinkers, and some refer to Feng Guifen as “ send”. In my opinion, Feng Guifen is the forerunner of the Westernization Movement and the main representative of the initial stage of the Westernization Movement