This article aims to initiate a discussion for clarifying the theoretical base underpinning the treatment of Baudelaire as a symbolist poet in Chinese new literature, a typical case extensively documented in the field of reception history. After the identification of discrepancies between Baudelaire's original works and their internalization into Chinese new literature, it argues to attribute these discrepancies to the intent to redefine and refashion his works and, thereby, his image in China for developing local literature and constructing local identity. In the article we coin for this process of internalization an adaption-growth model, suggesting to take it as a new perspective for reception history research in addition to an important indicator of the evolution of Chinese new literature.