The article aims to examine the reception of a controversial poet, Wu Wenying 吴文英 (ca. 1200-ca. 1260),who was not highly regarded until after the Daoguan reign-period of the Qing dynasty (1820-1850),but quickly became the most influential figure in both the fields of critiques and creative writing. Despite the criticism, Wu continued to influence on the ci-poets in the 20^(th) century, This article explores the beginning of Wu's rising popularity by investigating important critics and poets who were active during the Daoguan era, namely Zhou Ji (1781-1839),Ge Zai (1786-1856),and Zhu Shou (1789-1840). By analyzing the circumstances that gave rise to the popularity of Wu and the ci-poems written in an attempt to emulate Mengchuang's style, the article aims to learn how tradition was drawn upon and transformed, producing new meanings among late Qing poets.