這篇論文並不擬從水墨畫的當代發展或變遷時局裡的隱士形象來談余承堯(1898-1993)的山水畫與人格特質，而是秉持卡西勒(Ernst Cassirer, 1874-1945)揭示的：「人性是以符號塑造自我的永續過程」這人類文化哲學(philosophy of human culture)的視角，審視余氏將人生藝術化的生命姿態及留予吾人的啟示。在論述中，我們特別著眼於「憶寫」這個在符號體式上旁通詩、畫（甚至南管樂）等介面，在實作手藝中概括詩興湧現與形式模塑等程式的繁複行為，探查余氏繪畫行動諸面向的意蘊；最終我們發現：余氏圖繪創作由醞釀、萃取、精煉、乃至一再改寫調整的全幅過程，實為某種藉藝術模式梳理生命內涵、標識存在意義的符號活動。藉此，我們便能回頭瞭解余承堯藝術史地位與人品風範所為何來，並徹底領悟一個精微體察「人－符號－宇宙」間適恰位置的生命，其所展現的人生洞見臻至何等境界。

This thesis scrutinizes Yu Cheng-yao's 余承堯 (1898-1993) artistic attitude towards life and inspirational qualities from the perspective of Ernst Cassirer's (1874-1945) philosophy of human culture-namely that "Humanity is a sustainable process of self-molding influenced by symbols." In this discourse, special attention is paid to the complex ways that "recollections," symbolic forms that connect poetry, painting, and even music, in Yu's craft form broad patterns such as the emergence of poetic inspiration and molding of form. In the end we discover that Yu's entire painting process, from creative fermentation, extraction and refinement, and even including repeated alteration and reworking, is actually a symbolic activity in which art is used to tease out the meaning of life and existence. Through this, in retrospect we are able to understand Yu Cheng-yao's personal qualities and style and position in the history of art, and also thoroughly grasp the realms into which a life spent profoundly examining its proper place within the scheme of "Human-Symbol-Universe" can show us insight.