姚螢宦臺期間長達十餘年，又逢西方國家全力拓展海外市場的年代，使臺灣由海外孤島變成野心家的必爭之地。做為地方官員，姚瑩為臺灣所作的種種規畫與策略都能清楚標示海洋空間與島嶼特性，同時他也是第一位為臺灣入獄的詩人。為了更貼近地閱讀姚瑩為臺入獄詩，本文分兩大部份；第一部分探討姚瑩如何為臺灣發聲，把臺灣的人民與土地鐫刻到許多人的印象裡，從而在一個重新描繪「世界地圖」的年代，臺灣也正語邊鄙向前哨的位置移動時，錨定守土護民的臺灣主體性，即使置身天威難測與權要忮功的雙重風暴中，依然全心全力固守地方官員的位置，由此開啟閱讀姚瑩為保臺抗英而遭入獄的多元視角。第二部分以姚瑩遭革職逮問後的詩人書寫，由詩／文兩種文類的書寫差異切入，分別從「主政者在舉才與斷獄上的明辨」、「臺灣之獄所關涉的公／私領域」與「由官民命運共同體到臺灣觀點的浮現」三方面加以論析。

Yao Ying was a government official in Taiwan for more than 10 years. That time was the year when western countries expanded their markets towards other parts of the world. This made Taiwan from an isolated island to important area by ambitious politicians. As a local official, Yao Ying made several plans and devices which clarified the oceans surrounding Taiwan and the characters of the island. At the same time, he was the first poet sentenced to jail. In order to read Yao Ying’s jail-period poems as detailed as possible, this article is separated into two parts. The first part discusses how Yao Ying raised his voice on behalf of Taiwan. Because of him, Taiwan’s land and people were recognized. In the age of redefining the “World Map,” the position of Taiwan was improved. A goal where the protection of land and people was considered as the most important was set. In the middle of a stormy and chaotic situation, he still wholeheartedly defended his position as local government official. From this moment on we can read Yao Ying’s poem from various viewpoints on the protection of Taiwan against England, on which he was sentenced to jail. The second part focuses on the poems and articles from the period when he lost his official position and was arrested, and the difference between these two kinds of literature texts. We will discuss it at three different parts. Firstly, “The distinguishing between selecting talent and stopping jail by a government official” and, Secondly, “Public and private parts of jails in Taiwan”. The last part is “From the common fate of officials and the people to the appearance of Taiwan’s point of view.”