楊牧以自傳體散文《山風海雨》、《方向歸零》、《昔我往矣》三書，說明一位「文藝復興人」如何誕生、摸索與形塑的過程，是進入楊牧文學世界的重要門戶，也是楊牧對於散文如何在現實與虛構之間謀求契合點的試驗之作。本文分別討論這三本散文的寫作主旨與方式，指出：「表裡差異」是《山風海雨》的基本主題，發展成為「生」與「死」、「純僕」與「暴虐」、「和平」與「屠殺」的矛盾對立，而使詩人感到抑鬱和懷疑，這便是詩人啟蒙的端倪。故「詩」誕生在詩人內心世界的激燙衝突之中，而以「山風海雨」象徵此一衝突的劇烈交響。《方向歸零》則以十七歲少年的口吻敘事，以「語言」作為主題，描寫在政治高壓的年代裡，語言如何遭到政治口號和政治勢力所扭曲，因此詩人在大自然的啟示之下，投身於虛構的文字世界，以書寫來抗拒、逃避醜惡的現實，而其實這不只是逃避，更是一種積極的追尋，以召喚「文字」原本的活力，超越現實而建告一真、善、美的樂園世界。《昔我往矣》則以一個成熟的詩人，回顧過往，此時詩人已能清楚的把握詩的意義，並且以詩作為他對抗現實的秘密武器。《秘密》是二本自傳散文的總結，指出文學本來就是極端私密的個人世界，獨立不受外力干擾。這份「秘密」起初誕生在「山風海雨」的激燙之中，但隨著時光的推移，詩人終於能夠把握這天地間神秘的象徵，並且體會到至大的快樂。 楊牧這三本散文完整述說詩的誕生、形塑和突破時空、臻於永恆，不只是個人的自，還交織了臺灣歷史的變遷、族群的衝突和政權的交體，展現出浪漫主義的積極意義：向權威挑戰的精神。這三本散文也結合小說和詩的筆法，是散文出位的典範之作，證明散文這一文類確實具有無限的彈性。

　　　　　In Shan-feng Hai-yu, Fang-xiang Gui-ling and Xi Wo Wang Yi Yang Mu tries to describe the process of how becomes a Renaissance Man. These three books are the very important gateways to Yang Mu's literary works, and they also represent how Yang Mu combines reality and fiction in prose. This essay discusses these three books' motifs and writings separately, and declares: "Biao-li Cha-yi" (the difference between outside and inside) is the main theme of Shan-feng Hai-yu. It develops a list of binary oppositions: death/life, pure/cruel, peace/ murder and so on. This kind of binary opposition makes "me" feel sad and doubt is just the beginning of "poetry". Therefore "Shan-feng Hai-yu" (wind of the mountains and rains of the sea) symbolizes the great conflict that the poet faces. In Fang-xiang Gui-ling Yang mu uses a narrative voice of a teenager to discuss about "language". It says how language is distoreted under high pressure of martial law. The poet decides to escape from the real world and then devotes himself to a imaginary world of "words". He tries to find originality of language and creates a paradise of beauty and goodness beyond real world by words. This poet becomes mature in Xi Wo Wang Yi. He knows the meanings of poetry clearly and takes it as a secret weapon to against surroundings. 'Secret' is a conclusion of all these three books. It declares literature belongs to a very personal, independent and private world. Through this world the poet feels great happiness. These three books are not only biographical prose but also a work of Taiwanese history, contradiction of races and changes of government. They also show the positive meaning of Romanticism that is the spirit of challenging authority. These three books are not only prose but also fiction and poetry. They also represent the flexibility of modern prose.