臺灣漢語文言小說的書寫主要始自日治時代，由於此際臺灣處於一個全球化下的新興文化場域，故在寫作上頗受世界文學的刺激與影響；而其中，因為殖民統治之故，日本文學也被大量傳播來臺。早在1899年至1900年的《臺灣日日新報》「說苑」欄中，便已刊載不少日本漢文小說，爾後1905年至1911年的《漢文臺灣日日新報》上，也有菊池三溪、依田學海等人漢文名篇的刊載，以及由日本著名故事引介、改編或譯寫而成的〈孝女白菊〉、〈白樂天泛舟曾遊日本〉、〈赤穗義士菅谷半之丞〉、〈塚原左門〉、〈寶藏院名鎗〉⋯⋯等作。上述從日治初期便已展開的移植、傳播，或譯介、改寫日本文學的經驗，非唯開啟臺人對於小說文類知識及文體書寫範式的想像與認知，進而體會、濡染日式的創作美學風格；又因為相關作品連帶移入日本民族文化與國民性，如「忠」、「孝」、「尚武」與「復仇」觀念，遂使得這段日本文學的跨界行旅，成了日本「國體」的展演與滲透。再者，由於受到日本文學的刺激與影響，後來臺人作家如謝雪漁、魏清德、李逸濤、白玉簪等人出現了複雜的美學反應與肆應路徑，甚至引發書寫錯置的主體裂變情形，但也因此豐富了殖民地時期臺灣漢文小說的多元、重層創作風貌。

The writing of Taiwanese novels written in classical Chinese chiefly dates back to the Japanese colonial period, when Taiwan was a place whose culture was newly stimulated and influenced by world literature. The Japanese colonization of Taiwan brought with it a great deal of Japanese literature. Early on, between 1899 and 1900, many Japanese novels written in Chinese were published in the Shuo yuan 說苑(Culture Speak) column of Taiwan Nichinichi Sinpou (Taiwan Daily News). Later, from 1905 to 1911, famous stories written by Kikuchi Sankei 菊池三溪 and Yoda Gakkai 依田學海 were published in the Chinese edition of Taiwan Nichinichi Sinpou, along with some works adapted or translated from other famous stories, such as “Yoshiragiku” (孝女白菊), “Bai Juyi’s boating to Japan” (白樂天泛舟曾遊日本), “The Ako Ronin Sugaya Hanojo” (赤穗義士菅谷半之丞), “Tsukahara Samon” (塚原左門), and “The Gun in Hozoin” (寶藏院名鎗). The experience of translating and transplanting Japanese literature not only broadened Taiwanese awareness of the genre, it also increased appreciation of Japanese writing styles and aesthetics. The works also carried within them elements of Japanese culture and national character, such as loyalty, filial piety, esteem of martial qualities, and revenge. In other words, the journey to Taiwan made by Japanese literature during this period represents a display of these Japanese “national cultural values” and their permeation into Taiwanese literature. Additionally, stimulated and influenced by Japanese literature, complex and varied aesthetic responses later emerged in the work of many Taiwanese writers, such as Xie Xueyu 謝雪漁, Wei Qingde 魏清德, Li Yitao 李逸濤, and Bai Yuzan 白玉簪. This ignited a great fission of themes in writing, and enriched the variety of Taiwanese novels written in classical Chinese during the Japanese colonial period.