Alien to Copyright?: A Reconsideration of the Chinese Historical Episodes of Copyright

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Intellectual Property Law Libraries, Manuscripts, and Books Intellectual Property Rights and Media

Abstract

Little has been done in the field of China's copyright history except Professor William Alford's masterpiece, To Steal a Book is an Elegant Offense: Intellectual Property Law in Chinese Civilization. There are two main arguments in Alford's book: first, strict political control which developed in line with the invention of printing technology gave little room for the growth of private rights associated with publishing; secondly, the past played a crucial role in Chinese cultural life, making unauthorised imitation be tolerated. Alford's book has been overwhelmingly cited. Although he reminds his readers that there was at least some desire for copyright protection in imperial China, his two main arguments strongly encourage most of them to think that copyright is totally “alien” to China.

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2006What May Validate Intellectual Property in a Traditional Chinese Mind? Examining the U.S.-China IP Disputes through a Historical Inquiry

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