To Steal a Book Is an Elegant Offense: Intellectual Property Law in Chinese Civilization

by William P. Alford

This study examines the law of intellectual property in China from imperial times to the present. It draws on history, politics, economics, sociology, and the arts, and on interviews with officials, business people, lawyers, and perpetrators and victims of 'piracy'. The author asks why the Chinese, with their early bounty of scientific and artistic creations, are only now devising legal protection for such endeavors and why such protection is more rhetoric than reality on the Chinese mainland. In the process, he sheds light on the complex relation between law and political culture in China. The book goes on to examine recent efforts in the People's Republic of China to develop intellectual property law, and uses this example to highlight the broader problems with China's program of law reform.

238 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1995

Reviews

[Mern · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lmao the first works of intellectual property consequences in China were during the Tang dynasty (invention of paper) but it wasn’t to protect ideas necessarily, it was the emperor specifically banning the copying of fortune telling books so people couldn’t predict the dynasty’s downfall

Gets the job done and interesting…or at least Alford tries his best. There is only so much one man can do about historic intellectual property

I will say (w the hindsight of 20 years later), it is a bit naive about what Bush’s influence “ought” to be during Tiananmen

[Lily Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good backgrounder with historic lens, but the ending feels a bit hasty. The alleged most important point is briefly introduced towards the end. The author is a very cool person tho:)

[Dan Brent · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you really need to find some source material regarding Imperial China and Intellectual Property, this is about your only one. You might uncover some Law Review articles, but they are pretty bad. Cross fingers that because of China's global presence, someone will write something readable.

I think the best way I could describe this book is "Up its own butt." Maybe given the subject matter, and the virtue of being written in the 90's, the author more or less took for granted that few people might actually read this book. The fact that this made it past an editor kind of floors me. The style and structure is as pretentious, verbose, and dry. What might be simply put in 10 words or less; will drag on for 4-5 lines in a single sentence.

If you absolutely must research the topic, perhaps before going to a WTO court, try not to read this without a drink in your hand. You need something bracing-I suggest single malt scotch. And should anyone in the patent, publishing, or film areas of law desire; a readable substitute text would be a welcome addition.

[Jesus]

A romance novel is disseminated without the author's consent. This is so angering to the author that he prints & distributes freely the work, just to spite the pirates.

There are a some anecdotes scattered through this book. Mainly though it is a study of the concept of copyright as it is understood differently in the context of Western law or in China.

[Kevin]

A great history of intellectual property law development in China. Alford does a good job showing how, against what is thought by many, there is a tradition of idea protection in China, but the reasoning behind what ideas are valuable and therefore should be protected is very different, and remains so today.