鄭用錫（1788-1858 ）是新竹人，為清代中葉臺灣重要的文學家，也是開臺首位進士。為了侍奉父母，他辭官回臺灣居住，並在明志書院講學，積極地培養後進，為國家作育英才。在教書之餘，他也熱心公益，常協助處理地方事務。清咸豐三年時，臺灣淡水廳發生規模極為龐大的族群械鬥，社會動盪不安。用錫為了安定社稷，遂多方奔走，進行調停，同時寫下〈勸和論〉一文，以勸導臺灣各族群和諧相處。此文辭情俱佳、理正氣壯，實為名山之作，在歷史上自有其地位與貢獻。今日面對著臺灣仍然存在的族群藩籬，此文更具有現代性的意義和功能，值得我們深入地探討與研究，希望在某種程度上，改善臺灣猶待解決的族群問題。

One of the important Taiwanese literary .gures in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Zheng Yong-xi (1788-1858) was born in Hsin-chu County. He passed the then prevalent imperial examination and became one of the predominant members of jinshiin the scholar-of.cialdom. After his return from mainland China, he devoted himself to the caring of his parents, while promoting the education for the young intellectuals. In addition to lecturing in the Mingzhi Academy, he actively participated in social work. In 1853, village feuds in Tamshui areas developed into so grand a scale, that gang .ghting erupted social stability in Northern Taiwan. To pacify the turbulent situation, Zheng mediated the feuding parties and took to the writing of the essay entitled ‘An Exhortation to Collective Peace’. This piece of writing calls for ethnical concord and harmony, and serves as a mirror for modern-day socio-political policies and practices in Taiwan or elsewhere.