Abstract:  Considering the relation between reality and scientific theory, Yan Fu’s conception of modern academic disciplines was not only the pursuit of theory, but also a reflection of the actual politics of “saving the country from extinction.” Taking the abolition of the Civil Examination in 1905 as the watershed, Yan’s conception of modern academic disciplines could be divided into two periods. From the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 to the late Qing reforms and the abolition of the Civil Examination, Yan emphasized combining evolution, narrowly defined, with science to grasp the reason for Western prosperity and strength. Around 1905, when the constitutional monarchy movement was popular nationwide, Yan broadly interpreted evolution and narrowly conceived of natural selection, to explain the difficulty of changing political systems. As for scholarly research and methods, Yan emphasized natural selection and logical reasoning, which showed Yan’s “consistency.” Yan’s conception of modern academic disciplines, was not only influenced by elements of Western theory, but also the thought of “saving the country” when facing the difficulty of modern social transformation.