Screenwriters support Taiwan novelist in plagiarism case

More than 100 Chinese screenwriters voiced support for Taiwan's popular romance novelist Chiung Yao, who pressed charges against mainland scriptwriter Yu Zheng and five television companies over alleged plagiarization of her works.

A total of 109 screenwriters have signed a joint declaration with a list of their names and posted it on microblog site Sina Weibo on Thursday, saying they condemn all forms of plagiarism and look forward to justice in the case.

The topic is being heatedly discussed on Weibo, with many netizens standing by the side of Chiung Yao and the screenwriters. The declaration has been forwarded by Chiung herself and a number of screenwriters included in the list.

Last Friday, the No. 3 Intermediate People's Court of Beijing held hearings about the plagiarism case.

According to the court, Chiung Yao claimed that the plot of TV series "The Palace: The Lost Daughter" has been almost completely copied without permission from her novel "Mei Hua Lao" (Plum Blossom Scar).

"The Palace: The Lost Daughter" aired on Hunan Satellite TV on the mainland, while Mei Hua Lao was adapted into a TV series screened in 1993. Chiung Yao also demanded a compensation of 20 million yuan (3.2 million US dollars).

In her complaint, Chiung Yao said the defendants had gained huge profits from plagiarizing her works. Meanwhile, she has been writing a new script based on the story of Mei Hua Lao, but the plagiarism has become an obstacle for the shooting of her new TV series and caused her emotional damage.

According to her indictment, Chiung Yao asked Yu and the five television companies to stop broadcasting "The Palace: The Lost Daughter" on both TV and the Internet, or releasing any copies of the TV series. And she asked Yu to make a public apology. The defendant has also been asked to cover all the plaintiff's legal fees.

The high-profile showdown has drawn wide discussion and massive media attention from the mainland and Taiwan. Yu denies the plagiarism, saying he is a fan of Chiung with no intention of angering her.

Chiung has produced a number of popular romance novels and TV series. Via her microblog at Sina Weibo, Chiung said a team led by Wang Jun from Beijing-based Yingke Law Firm was entrusted to protect her copyright on the mainland.