The No.1 People's Intermediate Court of Shanghai has allowed the plaintiff, Shui Weiting, the editor of the book, to drop his claim to a share of the copyright. The defendant will thus maintain the exclusive right to reproduce the work.

The book was published by the Nanhai Publishing House in September to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the death of Lu Xun, who is widely known for his critical articles and novels.

In July 2002, Shui sued Zhou, claiming that he was co-author of the book.

Xiao Guanhong, who persuaded Zhou to write the book in 1996, told Xinhua that Shui's demands are groundless and absurd. "The book is an autobiography, and Zhou spent one year writing it," he said. "I asked Shui to edit the book, and he has no right to make claims regarding the copyright."

The book relates Zhou's life experience with a focus on the relationship with his father. It is also a good reference for Lu Xun researchers, Xiao said.

(Xinhua News Agency February 9, 2003)