Law Commons^™

Deconstructing Shanzhai - China's Copycat Counterculture: Catch Me If You Can, William Hennessey

Campbell Law Review

What is a “Chinese copy”? And why does China have a reputation as the quintessential “copycat culture,” where nimble knock-offs of virtually any article are in the daily news and respect for and protection of the intellectual property owned by others is widely perceived to be either weak or non-existent? Are copying and creativity diametrical opposites, two sides of the same coin, or unrelated to one other? Are wildly successful imitators uncreative? Does the charge that “the Chinese are the masters of copying” reflect something unique about China’s traditions and culture? Do China’s cultural traditions (particularly Confucianism) foster copying or …