吴大澄（1835年～1902年）初名大淳，避清穆宗讳改名为大澄。 吴大澄字止敬，
又字清卿，号恒轩，又别号白云山樵、愙 斋、郑 龛 、白云病叟。江苏吴县人。同治初客沪，入萍花社书画会。清同治七年（1868年）进士，历任编修、河北道、太仆寺卿、左副都御史等职。光绪十二年（1886年）擢广东巡抚。光绪十三年八月，署河南山东河道总督。 光绪十八年授湖南巡抚。中日甲午战争起，他率湘军出关收复海城，因兵败革职。一生喜爱金石，并工诗文书画。主讲龙门书院。少从陈硕甫学篆书，中年后又参以古籀文，益精工。题跋行楷方正流丽，独树一帜。兼长刻印。作山水、花卉，用笔秀逸，尝仿恽寿平山水花卉册，及临黄易访碑图尤妙。精鉴别，喜收藏，尤能审释古文奇字。卒年六十八。

书法
吴大澄书法以篆书最为著名。他开始学秦代小篆刻石，书法酷似李阳冰。后受杨沂孙的启示，将小篆与金文相结合，并用这种方法书写《论语》《孝经》以及信札。他的篆书大小参差、渊雅朴茂，在当时是一种创造。他对金石文字颇有精深的研究，开拓了对先秦文字的广阔的视野，使他的篆书从中汲取了不少的营养。吴大澄写篆书，喜用隶书书款。他的隶书横平竖直，亦取法汉碑。行书学曾国藩，又颇有黄庭坚的趣味。
收藏
吴大澄精于鉴赏和收藏，喜收藏彝器玉石古籍文物，因得《宋微子鼎》，铭文客字作愙，因又号愙斋。沈树镛藏书后来被他所收大半，潘承弼曾收藏到他的旧藏宋本《说文解字》4册。藏书处有“恒轩”、“愙斋”、“两壶庵”等。善画山水、花卉，用笔秀逸，饶有雅韵。书法精于篆书，工稳严谨。平时书札往往亦以篆书为之。兼善刻印，风格古朴。传世作品有同治八年作《梅花图》，现藏故宫博物院；十三年作《匡庐瀑布图》轴，图录于《晋唐五代宋元明清名家书画集》。1915年神州国光社出版《吴清卿临黄小松访碑图册》。着有《愙斋集古录》、《说文古籀补》、《愙斋砖瓦录》、《古玉图考》、《度量权衡实验说》、《恒轩所见所藏吉金录》，《愙斋诗文集》等。其孙吴湖帆（1894～1968），名翼燕，字橘骏，更名万，字东庄，号丑移，后改字倩庵，书画家。亦能收藏古籍与字画，有“双修阁”、“梅景书屋”，且颇有珍本和秘本。

治河
光绪十三年八月，郑州十堡（即石桥）黄河决口南泛，为害严重。先是署河南山东河道总督李鹤年、河南巡抚倪文蔚主持堵口，朝廷复派礼部尚书李鸿藻到工督修，至光绪十四年五月，口门埽占失事，功败垂成。李鹤年等均革职。七月，皇帝命吴大澄署河南山东河道总督，接办堵口大工，于当年八月到任视事。他认为河工堵口收发料物弊端甚多，乃只身微服，混杂在送料民工中，背运秸料，进行私访。发现发料短缺，克扣工钱，大澄有意率众与管料官员争吵，该官员正拟将大澄推下鞭杖时，他的随从立即站出高呼：他是河帅，谁敢动手？这时大澄喝令对管料的官员予以杖责，并带枷在工地示众，以儆效尤。
大澄对堵口工程筹划有方，措施得当。对在工的官吏，分工明确，严限完成。他誓言：如依限不能完成者斩，自己也将以身殉职。在工人员无不凛然，于是日夜赶堵，于当年十二月合龙。该工程较拨发款银节约60余万两。
大澄任河督时，对郑州、中牟、开封一带险工甚为重视。他说：中河厅头堡大王庙顶冲之石堤，……八堡之人字坝、托头坝（中牟境），下南厅七堡之顺二坝，十九堡之盖坝（开封境）均甚紧要，是防御省城之门户。他提倡用水泥砌筑砖石坝，加固工程，这是黄河上使用水泥修工程之始。
郑州十堡大工完成后，因河势南趋，行将塌至堤身。大澄审时度势，在荥泽八堡（今郑州李西河一带）老滩前，筑石坝一座，工竣立一石碑，碑文是：“老滩土坚，遇溜而日塌，塌之不已，堤亦渐圮，今我筑坝，保此老滩，滩不去则堤不单，守堤不如守滩。”阐明了他的固滩保堤的治河思想。
光绪十五年他奏请用新法测绘黄河图，自河南省阌乡县（今灵宝境）金斗关到山东利津铁门关海口，测量河道长1021公里。次年图成，呈光绪帝浏览，命名《御览三省黄河全图》。
保疆
光绪六年三月(1880年4月) 吴大澄为三品卿衔，赴吉林随同铭安帮办一切事宜，旋即改为“督办”。吴大澄于6月行抵吉林，即与吉林将军铭安商酌防务事宜，于整军吏、守边强边等方面多有建树。
吴大澄与吉林将军铭安于吉林建立边防军队。改原有八旗兵，废除世袭制，改为招募制，共建防军马步13营，5000人。次年防军增至9000人，后统称靖边军，经过严格训练，己“悉成劲旅”。于珲春开始修筑东、西炮台。为防御沙俄从水上入侵，还创建图们江、松花江水师营。同时设立招垦局，移民垦荒，推行实边政策。他经过实地勘查，确定以珲春和三岔口所属边地为招垦中心，设立珲春招垦局，下设五道沟和南岗分局。招垦范围广泛，且规定许多优惠政策。为给垦民、商旅和军队提供方便，1880年底，修筑从宁古塔至吉林省城长达600里的大道及北、东线大道，建有百余座木桥，同时还增加许多驿站，加强了边疆的防务力量。
1885年6月8日，吴大澄会同珲春副都统依克唐阿重勘东部边界。经吴大澄、依克唐阿再三辩驳，据理力争，终于达成协议。于1886年10月12日正式签订《中俄珲春东界约》及《中俄查勘两国交界道路记》。含补立“土”字牌，添立“啦”、“萨”、“玛”字界牌和一至十八记号；收回黑顶子；争得图们江口通航权等，从而捍卫了祖国的神圣领土。矗立在珲春市区的龙虎石刻及具清代建筑风格的五角碑亭，就是珲春人民为纪念爱国大臣吴大澄谈判胜利而建立的。石刻正面篆书阴刻“龙虎”二字，左下竖刻“吴大澄书”，字体流畅，气势磅礴。吴大澄于谈判期间曾多次书写“龙”、“虎”二字，抒发其“龙骧虎视”的大无畏的爱国精神。

吴大澄除了政绩而外，他把一生的许多精力都用在了金石考古与文字学上。如上所言，他把自己的俸禄，尽购秦砖汉瓦、古器、碑拓，且能深入研究，颇得其中乐趣。他通过自己的刻苦钻研，把中国的古文字学推进到了一个崭新的境界与高度。据邹范林先生总结：
乾隆嘉庆以来，文人颇多考释，多无新见。研究金文学者，在甲骨文未出土之前，当首推吴大澄。大澄撰《字说》，虽仅36篇，然考释文字，颇有创见。其《说文古籀补》，整理金文，为古文字学重要着作。该书计14卷，又附录1卷，收录钟鼎、石鼓、陶器、玺印、货币文字共3500余，后又增补1200余，依据东汉许慎《说文解字》部次排列，所收之字，多为许氏所未收。他对古籀的释义比较谨慎，以字为据，较为可信。一生着述颇多，以古物证历代权衡度量制度，写成《权衡度量考》，另有《恒轩所见所藏吉金录》、《（客心）斋集古录》《古玉图考》、《（客心）斋诗文集》等。
可见，吴大澄是一个名副其实的文字学家，考古学专家，而他对于军事，大概可以说是一窍不通的。然而，中国近代的历史，却同吴大澄开了一个不小的玩笑：硬是让这样一位造诣深厚的古文字与骨董专家，统领数万大军，在中日甲午战争的关键时刻，与训练有素，装备精良的侵略者一比高低。真可谓舍弃所长，用其所短，南其辕，北其辙，岂能不一败涂地乎？

Wu Dacheng (1835 - 1902) the beginning of a big obstacle that Qing Chun, Mouzon renamed Da cheng. Wu Jing Dacheng check,
And the word Qing Qing, Heng Xuan, and Baiyun Mountain, Qiao kezhai, alias Zheng Kan, Baiyun disease chaucer. Wuxian Jiangsu people. The first off the Shanghai into Ping Hua she painting. Tongzhi seven years (1868), Hebei Jinshi, successive editing, Si Qing, deputy left Yushi and other staff. Twelve years Guangxu (1886) the governor of Guangdong. Guangxu thirteen years in August, the Department of Henan Shandong River governor. Eighteen years Guangxu granted the governor of Hunan. The Sino Japanese War, he was defeated by the Hunan exit to recover Haicheng, dismissal. Life like stone, and painting and calligraphy. The Longmen academy. Less from the Chen Shuofu seal, and then reference to the middle-aged Zhou Yi, seiko. Tiba founder Xingkai and become an independent school. Long and engraving. Landscape, flowers, pen hideitsu, taste like Yun Shouping landscape and flower, and Lin Huang Yi tablet tuiu. Precise identification, like the collection, you can release the word ancient qi. Death year sixty-eight.
Calligraphy
Wu Dacheng is the most famous calligraphy seal. He began to learn Chinese calligraphy Qin Dynasty stele, like Li Yangbing. After Yang Yisun's revelation, the Xiaozhuan and bronze combination, and use this method of writing the "Analects of Confucius" and "filial piety" letters. His seal size varies, elegant and luxuriant, at that time is a creation. He has a profound research on the development of the pre Qin stone text, text of the broad vision and make his seal draw a lot of nutrients. Wu Dacheng wrote seal, with the official script for joy. His script vertically and also from hanbei. Zheng Guofan and Huang Tingjian running, quite interesting.
Collection
Wu Dacheng in appreciation and collection, like the collection of ancient jade Yi cultural relics, due to the "Song Ding" neutrino word for the guest, the inscription Ke, was No. kezhai. The Shen Shuyong collection was later he received more than half, Pan Chengbi had to hide his old song of the "Shuowen Jiezi" 4 volumes. The collection at a "constant Xuan" and "kezhai" and "two pot huts" etc.. Good landscape painting, flower, pen hideitsu, with beijing. Skilled in calligraphy seal, rigorous and balanced. The usual letters often also in the seal for. Jianshan signet, simple style. His representative works are Tongzhi eight years as "plum blossom", is now in the possession of the Imperial Palace Museum; thirteen years as "kuanglu waterfall map" in the "Shanxi of axis, the Tang and the Five Dynasties of Ming and Qing Dynasties famous calligraphy and painting collection". In 1915 Wu Qingqing published "Shenzhou Guoguang linhuang Komatsu tablet Atlas". A "kezhai jigulu", "Shuowen Guzhou bu", "kezhai recorded", "ancient brick Yutu", "test", "measurement weighing experiment Xuan hang see Tibet kezhai Ji Kim recorded", "poetry collection" etc.. The Wu lake fan (1894 ~ 1968), Wing Yan Chun, the word orange, renamed million words Dongzhuang, no ugly move, change the word after Qian An, calligraphy and painting. Can also collect ancient books and paintings, "double Pavilion", "Mei King library", and is quite rare and secret.

River
Guangxu thirteen years in August, ten in Zhengzhou Fort (i.e. stone bridge) in the Yellow River burst South pan, serious damage. The first is the Department of Henan Shandong River governor Li Henian, Henan governor Ni Wenyu presided over the closure, the court sent Shang Shuli to the Hongzao complex of governor repair, Guangxu fourteen years to May, the entrance construction accounted for crash, fail on the verge of success. Li Henian was dismissed. In July, the emperor ordered Wu Dacheng Department of Henan Shandong River governor, took over the closure work, in August of that year to place as. He believes that the river closure charge. There are a lot of disadvantages, but to mixed feeding alone, migrant workers, Beiyun straw material, made a personal. Found the material shortage, the deduction of wages, Da Cheng intends to mobilize and tube officials argue, the officials are planning will push rod whip Cheng, his entourage immediately stood out and shouted: he is the handsome River, who dare to do it? This big tube of Cheng ordered officials to take the rod, and were in the public site, as an example.
Da Cheng of closure engineering planning well and appropriate measures. In the official, clear division of labor, strictly limited to complete. He vowed: according to limit cannot complete the cut, he will die. The workers are awe inspiring, so day and night to catch block, the closure in December of that year. The project was awarded a silver saving 60 of two million.
Da Cheng as the governor of the river, in Zhengzhou, Zhongmu, opened the dangerous area very seriously. He said: in the Department of head Bao king temple rushing stone embankment,...... Eight Fort herringbone dam, head dam (Zhongmu territory), under the South Hall seven Fort along the two dam, nineteen Fort cover dam (city border) are very important, is the provincial capital of the defense portal. He advocated the reinforcement project for cement masonry masonry dam, which is used on the beginning of the Yellow River cement repair project.
Zhengzhou ten Fort work completed, because the river south trend, will collapse to the levee. Da Cheng situation in Xingze eight Fort (now Zhengzhou Li River area) the old beach before building a dam, this work made a stele, inscription is: "the old beach soil in slip and Kennedy, collapse, collapse of the embankment is gradually destroyed, by now I Paul dam, this old beach don't go to the beach, is not only to defend the dike embankment, it is better to keep the beach." To clarify his solid Tan Bao Di river training thought.
Guangxu fifteen years he petitioned with the surveying of the Yellow River, Henan province (now Lingbao County Wenxiang border) to Shandong Jin Dou Guan Lijin Tiemenguan Haikou, measuring 1021 km long river. The following figure, was named "Royal emperor browse, the Yellow River Province Map".
Paul Xinjiang
Six years Guangxu (April 1880 March) Wu Dacheng three went to Jilin with the title of secretary of state, deputy Ming'an all matters, immediately changed to "supervision". Wu Dacheng arrived in Jilin on June, is an argument of defense issues with Jilin general Ming, to the whole army official, keep fighting back side and so many achievements.
Wu Dacheng established border troops of Jilin general and Ming to Jilin. Change the original eight soldiers, the abolition of the hereditary system, instead of the recruitment system, build the defense army horse 13 battalion, 5000 people. The following year the IDF increased to 9000, after referred to as the Jingbian army, after strict training, have all become strong". Yu Hunchun began to build the East and West fort. The defense from the water invasion of Russia, also founded the Tumen River, the Songhua River Division camp. At the same time, the establishment of bureau of reclamation, immigration reclamation, implementation of border policy. He went through the field investigations, to determine the Hunchun and belongs to three fork side reclamation center, the establishment of the Hunchun Reclamation Bureau, under the five channel and Nangang branch. Cultivates a wide range, and the provisions of many preferential policies. As to the peasants, to provide convenient, travel and the army at the end of 1880, up from Guta to Jilin city for Ning Road and North Eastern Avenue, 600, has built a wooden bridge over a hundred, but also increase the number of stations, strengthen border defense forces.
In June 8, 1885, Wu Dacheng in Hunchun vice president Tang Azhong Yike eastern boundary survey. By Wu Dacheng, according to Ketanga repeatedly argue, argue, finally reached an agreement. On October 12, 1886 signed the "Sino Russian East Hunchun community" and the "Sino Russian border between the two countries" road survey. For containing "soil" plate, Tim Li "and", "Sa", "and" community cards and one to eighteen mark; take the black roof; for the mouth of the Tumen river navigation rights, so as to defend the sacred territory of the motherland. Stands in the Hunchun city of dragon and tiger stone and Qing Dynasty architectural style of the five corners of the pavilion, is the people of Hunchun to commemorate the patriotic minister Wu Dacheng talks and the establishment of the victory. The front seal stone carves "dragon and tiger" two words, the left vertical engraved "Wu Dacheng book", the font is smooth, of great momentum. Wu Dacheng on negotiations on many occasions during the writing "dragon", "tiger" two words, to express their "cherish great ambitions" the dauntless spirit of patriotism.

Wu Dacheng performance in addition to outside, he put a lot of effort in life are used in the inscriptions of Archaeology and philology. As mentioned above, his salary, as the purchase of Qin Zhuanhan tile, and ancient Beituo, and in-depth study, quite the fun. Through his own assiduously, the ancient Chinese character Chinese learn advanced to a new level and height. According to Mr. Zou Fanlin summary:
Qianlong Jiaqing years, a lot of scholars study, no new. Study on inscriptions on scholars before unearthed Oracle, when the devaluation of Wu Dacheng. Da Cheng Zhuan "cut", although only 36, but in the text, thoughtful. The "Shuowen Guzhou bu", finishing bronze inscriptions, ancient philology as important as. The book of 14 volumes, and Appendix 1 volumes, included Shigu, pottery, bronze tripods, seals, currency characters were more than 3500, and the addition of more than 1200, according to Han Xu Shen "Shuowen Jiezi" second order, receive the word, is not received by the hui. He cut the interpretation more cautious, according to the word, the more credible. A lot of the life, to permit the measurement system to weigh the antiquities, written "balance measurement test", and "the constant Xuan see Tibet", "Ji Kim recorded (Ke Xin) Zhai jigulu" "ancient Yutu test" (Ke Xin), "Zhai poetry collection" etc..
Obviously, Wu Dacheng is a worthy of the name philologist, archaeological experts, and he for the military, probably can be said to be utterly ignorant of the. However, China in modern history, but Wu Dacheng opened a small joke: just let such an ancient text and antiques expert attainments deep, and tens of thousands of troops, at the crucial moment, the Sino Japanese War and armed invaders trained with regularity, a match. It is from the director, with its short, the south pole, the north point, how can we not suffer a big?