阿英的《中国年画发展史略》，是最早论述民间年画发展历史的著作，该书标志着年画研究作为一门独立的民间艺术研究门类出现在研究者的视野中，不仅在一定程度上填补了郑振铎开辟的木刻版画研究领域的空白，也为后人拓开了新的研究路径，在年画的研究史上具有揭橥之意。但不可否认的是，其研究也存在一些缺憾，如研究范围不够全面、对年画起源探究的结论含混不清、整体比较粗疏等等。然而阿英对年画这一民间艺术的挖掘，对其作出的一些极富启发性的论断和有价值的考证，在今天仍有着重要的现实意义。

A Brief History of the Development of Chinese New Year Pictures by A'ying, is the earliest work to discuss the history of New Year folk pictures. The study of New Year pictures by A'ying signifies that it became an independent research category of folk art, which not only fills to a certain extent the blank in the research field of woodcut prints started by Zheng Zhenduo, but also opens a new research path for later generations. So his study has the significance of unveiling the research on New Year pictures. However, it is undeniable that the study also has some shortcomings: the research scope is not comprehensive enough; the conclusion of the study on the origin of New Year pictures is unclear; and the whole study is relatively sketchy. However, A'ying's exploration of the folk art of New Year pictures, and his inspiring judgment and valuable textual research are still of great practical significance today.