姚鼐《古文辭類篹》提出古文辭十三類說，較諸明人辨體觀念大有進境，以至於影響深遠。本文以清前、中期的總集、別集為考察對象，探討清初至清中葉文體學觀念的演變歷程、總集與別集的文體編排方式，進行探源和察流的討論，揭示姚鼐古文辭十三類說的歷史淵源、文體分類、文體序次，辨明個中差異的原因。由此歸納得出：姚鼐當時，已有兩條不同的古文文體發展脈絡，其一學自《文選》，其二學自唐宋古文八大家，前者以儲欣為代表人物，後者以姚鼐為代表人物。姚鼐實受容各家說法，集其大成，因而得以完成十三類說，提出後世頗為重視的古文文體觀念體系，奠定其在文體學發展史上的重要地位。

Yao Nai’s Guwencileizuan proposes the theory of thirteen generic classifications of classical prose, which is much more advanced than the concept of genres in the Ming, and has been influential for a long time. This article attempts to take the zongji (whole collections) and bieji (individual collections) from the early Qing to mid-Qing periods as the research subjects, and discusses the evolution of the generic concepts at the time, the method of classification and arrangement of zongji and bieji into the anthology, furthermore, to trace the historical origins and stylistic traditions of Yao Nai’s theory of thirteen generic classifications. At the time of Yao Nai, there were two terms of evolution: one from the Zhaoming wenxuan, and the other from the eight masters of the Tang and Song; the former was represented by Chu Xin, and the latter was by Yao Nai. In fact, Yao Nai synthesized various schools of stylistics so as to complete the theory of thirteen generic classifications of classical prose, which systematically paved a ground for prosodic classification as an epitome for later generations, and established his important role in the history of stylistics.