本文乃是一篇以清代地方官制性質為切入點，探討清代台灣人於中國內地擔任地方官處境的文章，以晚清宜蘭人李望洋為中心，分析晚清任職州縣官的甘苦。李望洋以舉人身分，參與大挑選官，獲大挑一等，掣簽分發甘肅試用知縣。當時甘肅回亂未靖，李望洋卻不顧安危，執意前往。在甘肅試用期間，受左宗棠賞識提拔，試用未滿二年，便獲署理渭源縣務。在渭源縣令任內，表現優異，即被左宗棠破格拔擢為河州知州，後因人謠諑中傷而卸河州篆，但不到一年又被省委署理狄道州知州，未及半年亦卸篆。通計李望洋十三年甘肅任官期間，超過一半的時間都是以試用，候補官身分待在省垣。在本文中，先列述李望洋簡要生平及研究概況，接著討論任州官前的甘肅局勢與擔任「省試」差事性質，擔任晚清甘肅州縣官的處境，最後討論李望洋候補等官的心境。

Lee Wang-yang was born and grew up in Yi-Lan District of Taiwan during the late Qing Dynasty, but he chose the official travel life in Gan-Su province far from his hometown. As the Provincial Graduates (舉人), Lee via the first degree of the special civil examination (大挑一等) to draw lots of the magistrate’s selection system by the Board of Civil Office (吏部) to get the qualifications of magistrate in Gan-Su province. Gan-Su province was disturbed by the revolts of the Hue nationality for a long time when Lee launched his departure for his post at that time, but he took out his bravery to take his task on. In the period, Lee was appreciated by the governor-general Zuo Zong-tang (左宗棠) and was designated to serve the post of the magistrate in Wei-Yuan district without regular route. Lee gained extraordinary efficient administration dominating the Wei-Yuan district and He-Zhou department; nevertheless he was dismissed by the slanders. After those events, Lee accepted the assignment to rein the Di-Dao department briefly. In Lee’s 13 years official life in Gan-Su, he was the alternate-official in provincial office over half time. In this paper, we will discuss Lee’s life briefly, and then explain the situation of Gan-Su in late Qing. Finally I’ll demonstrate the feelings of Lee when he left his hometown for his official duty through long-range times.