Xuriyanggang singing with Wang Feng (Wang in the middle) Photo:image.baidu.com

By Pang Qi

Wang Feng, a Chinese singer whose song "In the spring" was performed by a duo known as Xuriyanggang, has prohibited them from singing the song "in any form" in future, the Xinhua News Agency reported Friday.

Li Dong, Xuriyanggang's agent, told Chinese media that he received a call from Wang on Thursday afternoon, asking the duo to stop presenting the song, and they will respect Wang's decision.

Xuriyanggang were given a message by phone before the announcement was released, but they revealed it to the media, thereby provoking much criticism of Wang, ifeng.com reported. "I advised my company to inform them privately before the formal announcement, so that they will not be caught unprepared. But they used my kindness," Wang was quoted as saying.

Wang said in his blog Friday afternoon that while he supported the duo, they took advantage of his kindness to make a profit; and, he was offended by the public claim that "Wang Feng is winning back his fame by the song presented by Xuriyanggang".

He stated that Xuriyanggang have turned from poor young men to cover singers since they attended business shows, and they frequently sang his works including "In the spring" without permission. He encouraged Xuriyanggang to perform more original songs.

Liu Gang, one of the duo, showed his appreciation of Wang and apologized to him on Xuriyanggang's microblog. But he also expressed the wish that Wang would grant them the right to cover "In the spring", and expect Wang to write a song specially for them.

Some netizens criticized Wang Feng for being jealous of Xuriyanggang's popularity, and said that he is too narrow-minded.

"I didn't know who Wang Feng was (before the song sang by Xuriyanggang). He is hyping himself!" said a netizen called "Darlingoooo" on Xuriyanggang's site.

But others showed understanding that since the copyright belongs to Wang Feng, he has the right to ask the duo to stop singing it.

And the netizen Daming said that Wang Feng is in fact protecting Xuriyanggang, as the duo's music life will hardly last long if they continue singing the other's works without any original songs of their own.

Liu Ping, Deputy Executive Director of the Music Copyright Society of China, was quoted by Xinhua as saying that the issue of copyright should be highlighted in the music industry, and it is beneficial for music creators to be concerned about their rights.

The duo Xuriyanggang consists of Wang Xu, 29, and Liu Gang, 44. They were migrant workers while they took to singing "In the spring" and became popular after their performance videos spread online. Wang Feng performed "In the spring" together with them on the show "Blooming" in Shanghai in November 2010, and they have presented the song on many occasions including China's annual Spring Festival Gala in 2011.

The grass-root stars Xuriyanggang were among the selected Top 10 figures that inspired China in 2010.