Chinese pop singer Zang Tianshuo, charged with gathering people to engage in affrays, went on trial Wednesday in Beijing.

Zang, 45, denied the accusations in Beijing's No. 2 Intermediate People's Court.

Zang was detained on Sept. 28 last year. He had been in a dispute with Sun Baohe over a disco bar, where they both were partners. Zang ordered Lu Changchun, manager of the bar, to bring people to solve the dispute, according to the court.

Lu summoned almost 100 people armed with clubs, iron tubes and blades to join a fight with 20 others led by Sun on June 20, 2003. One man from Sun's side was killed and many others were injured.

Lu fled the scene and was caught by the police in northeast China's Changchun City in July 2008, according to the court.

Zang said in the court he asked Lu to "solve the dispute," not to "beat people." But Lu said Zang told him to beat the opponents if the two sides failed to make an agreement.

There was not a verdict on Wednesday.

Zang, a household name in China, was one of China's first rock musicians. He has written many hit songs, such as "Friends", and a number of movie and advertising songs. He was voted the most popular mainland singer/songwriter at the 9th Chinese Music Awards in 2003.