對於跨越19到20世紀的台灣文人而言，面對社會動盪與政權更替的現象，常激起他們將歷史文化的思考與因應策略，寫成各具特色的散文。其中彰化文人吳德功（1850－1924）不僅參與彰化的社會救濟，在當地的影響力不容小覷；其散文作品又涵括清治與日治時期，流露知識份子在特殊時代的境遇。故以吳德功的散文為主軸，論析作者於各時期文學書寫與文化對話的情形：（一）先分就褒貶清末民變人物的教化論述、從割台到日軍侵台的詮釋觀點，探析《戴案紀略》、《施案紀略》、《讓臺記》等史傳散文所反映的思想特徵。（二）再探討策議與遊記的文化視界，如《揚文會策議》儒者的言說，及《觀光日記》所錄殖民統治下參訪的現代性體驗與論述。（三）最後探究《瑞桃齋文稿》中的議論散文，分析儒教的社會實踐與殖民社會的應世之道。期盼藉由研究世紀之交在地文人的散文作品，能積累台灣古典文學與文化的研究成果。

Across the time from 19th to 20th century, Taiwan literati confronted the rapid changes in the environment-the social upheaval and the political authority replacement. The situation motivated them to think of the cultural history and to find appropriate tactics. Then, they wrote the different kinds of prose with various characteristics. Among them, the Changhua literati, Wu De-Gong (1850-1924), not only participated in the social succor in Changhua, he also had great influences in the area. His prose covered the time from Qing to Japanese colonial period, revealing the situation of the intellectuals in that special era. Through Wu De-Gong's prose, I examine the dialogue between literature writing and culture in the different periods: 1. reflecting on the thoughts and the characteristics embedded in the historical biographical prose, 2. investigating the cultural view revealed in the policy proposals and travel writing, and 3. analyzing the social practice of Confucianism and the method of survival in the colonized society.