公案小說與武俠小說,在中國小說史上是兩個獨自發展的流派,清中葉以後,逐漸合流成為俠義公案小說,在眾多階層讀者的心理期待與不同的創作宗旨與風格的吸引下,晚清的俠義公案小說是中國公案小說創作量最大的一個時期。從章回體小說產生過程與公案小說的特質這兩個重要因素去研判,清代《三俠五義》、《施公案》、《彭公案》之類的章回俠義公案小說,應可認定為題材融合的一種小說新類型。題材融合原因有清廷「剿撫並重」的政策,打敗太平天國的「同治中興」,法令禁小說淫詞等是題材融合歷史因素。就文學本身發展規律而言,清代英雄傳奇的演義小說也延續演史與說世情小說題材的合流這股潮流,將英雄傳奇與公案小說的合流。作為小說表現對象的清官與綠林俠客,由於形象、作為是一致性,使得小說題材易於融合。市民審美需求讓敏感的小說作家把握了聽眾讀者審美心理轉變,吸收俠義小說的長處,推進公案小說與武俠的合流。
Koan novel and chivalrous novel, it is two independent groups on the developing history of the novel, after middle period of Ching Dynasty, amalgamate and become the chivalrous koan novel gradually, study and judge from these two important factors of speciality of producing the course and koan novel of novel of the form of 'Zhang Hui', can regard to answer as the new type of a kind of novel that the subject matter merge. Such reasons as historical society, own rule of development of the novel, novel display of target, citizen aesthetic demands, usually promote the amalgamation of the novel subject matter.