《儒林外史》不仅仅是直接从白话通俗小说发展而来，其文体渊源可追溯到《世说新语》，在不重纪事而追求人物神韵、文人性、真人轶事性、谐趣性以及适应于创作宗旨的分类结构等诸多方面，《儒林外史》都受到了《世说新语》的影响，吴敬梓在汲取《世说新语》所表现的文化精神之同时，把《世说新语》的文体因素融化到白话小说的创作中，使《儒林外史》的小说文体呈现出独特的风貌。 “Scholars” not only directly from the vernacular popular novels developed from its stylistic origins can be traced back to “Shi Shuo Xin Yu”, not heavy in the pursuit of charisma, literati, anecdotal, anecdotal, As well as the classification structure adapted to the purpose of creation and many other aspects, “Scholars” are influenced by “Shi Shuo Xin Yu”, while Wu Jingzi draws on the cultural spirit represented by Shi Shuo Xin Yu, New language “melts into the creation of vernacular novels, making the novel style of” Scholars "a unique style.