Governance was the issue of common concern both of the monarchs and scholar-bureaucrats during imperial China era , was also the essential question in the history of Chinese political thought. "History as a Mirror" and "Continued Mirror" as records of the experiences and lessons from the governance practices of the monarchs and scholar-bureaucrats were full of concern about governance,  which mainly includes five aspects: governing by doing nothing that goes against nature, implementing benevolent government, being in awe and willing to listen to others' opinions, selecting and appointing talents to govern the people, and eliminating those who or what did the most harm. Through the analyses, we can find out that this concept of governance had three characteristics: elitism of the subject, benevolent government of the purpose and clarification of the carrier. The enlightenment of this concept of governance to modern Chinese politics mainly includes five aspects: strengthening system construction, promoting elite self-discipline, putting the people first, expanding people's orderly political participation, and leading instrumental rationality with value rationality.

治道是帝制中国时期君主和士大夫共同关心的话题,是中国政治思想史中的基本问题。《资治通鉴》和 《续资治通鉴》作为君主和士大夫治国理政的经验教训记录,渗透着对治道的关注。这种治道观主要包含五个方面的内容:垂拱而治、推行仁政、心存敬畏乐听谏言、选贤任能以治民、裁汰为害最甚者。这种治道观有三个主要特征:主体的精英化、宗旨的王道化、载体的明确化。这种治道观对现代中国政治的启示主要有五个方面:加强制度建设、促进精英自律、坚持以人民为中心、扩大人民有序政治参与、以价值理性引领工具理性。