邱坤良先生在其《舊劇與新劇─日治時期臺灣戲劇之研究》一書中首度整理並介紹日治時期之戲曲研究，然而之後臺灣學界對於這段學術史並無特別之關注。 臺灣在清領時期尚無所謂現代性質的戲曲研究。日治時期，日人引進現代的方法，對於臺灣本土的戲曲活動開始系統性的記錄、敘述、分類、研究。對殖民者而言，為達有效的統治，須先徹底了解島內之自然與人文，而戲曲活動為重要的人文現象，亦成為殖民者調查的對象。縱貫日治時期，日人對於臺灣戲曲的研究不曾中斷，即使在戰時、皇民化期間亦然。 調查戲曲的人員，則多為殖民政府的基層公務人員，如法院通譯、警察等，其職務需與臺灣民眾接觸，可說是殖民統治的最前線。此外，亦有接受現代日式教育之臺灣人以日文記載本地戲曲，運用殖民者語言的同時，也採用了新觀點、新方法來審視自身之文化傳統。 在戰前近四十年的調查、記錄之下，最終建構出「臺灣戲曲」此一概念以及一套現代的研究方法和知識體系。此概念影響至今，在臺灣已被普遍接受而不察其來源。追本溯源，可了解臺灣本土戲曲開始現代化的研究，開始被分類、定義，和殖民歷史如何密切相連。此種現象則更進一步呼應臺灣的現代性、知識生產與殖民主義的關係，在臺灣史、臺灣文化研究之範疇中亦為重要課題。

In 1992, Chiu Kun-Liang 邱坤良 first reviewed studies of Taiwan’s classical theatre during the colonial period in his Jiuju yu xinju—Rizhi shiqi Taiwan xiju zhi yanjiu舊劇與新劇—日治時期臺灣戲劇之研究 (Old Theatre and New Theatre—A Study of Taiwanese Theatre in Japanese Colonial Period). However, this history has hardly ever been considered by others after him. During the Qing rule, there was no so-called modern theatre study in Taiwan. In the Japanese colonial period, Japanese introduced modern approaches to document, describe, categorize and study local Taiwanese theatrical activities systematically. In order to rule effectively, the colonizers had to understand the nature and culture of the island. The local theatre was an important activity, and therefore it also became an object for the colonizers to investigate. Over the colonial period, Japanese continually studied Taiwanese classical theatre. Even in the war time and kominka period, the research was not interrupted. Researchers of the local theatre were mainly officers of the colonial government, such as translators in courthouses and police officers. They were on the front line of the colonial government and were usually in direct contact with local people. Besides, some Taiwanese who had received modern Japanese education employed Japanese to record the local theatre. When they used a new language taught by the colonizers, they also adopted a new viewpoint and a new approach to review and reevaluate their own cultural tradition. After about 40 years of investigation and recording, a concept of“Taiwanese classical theatre,”a system of modern research approaches and a framework of the local theatre knowledge were finally established. This concept is broadly accepted in Taiwan nowadays, but the origin is unknown. Tracing its origin will help us understand the background why the local Taiwanese theatre was studied, categorized and defined in a modern way, and how it was deeply connected with the colonial history. It further responds to the relationship between modernity and colonialism in Taiwan. Therefore, this topic is also important to the study of Taiwanese history and culture.