“The poem speaking out the poet′s ideal”, having endured 3000 years of “theoretical cleansing”, continues to function in modern literary theory and criticism. This literary conception went through two phases of transformation in history: ancient transformation and modern transformation. This historical fact shows that construction of Chinese contemporary literary theory cannot take the path of “wholesome Europeanization” nor the path of “pure nationalization”. A combination of the two paths is a sure way to success.

The poem speaking out the poet′s ideal; classical literary theory; modern literary theory; construction of contemporary literary theory