Recently, a Xinjiang music songwriter came forward online to accuse Dao Lang (real name Luo Lin) of plagiarism, alleging that he copied over 20 of her original works. Several others who were accused alongside Dao Lang are Xinjiang official media personnel, who reportedly threatened the whistleblower and her family. In response, Dao Lang’s management company issued a stern statement and reported the matter to the police.
Since November 23, the Xinjiang music songwriter, known as Wang Jinlan, has been posting multiple videos on her social media platform Douyin account. In these videos, she vehemently accuses Dao Lang and his team of a 24-year history of plagiarism, claiming that Dao Lang copied over 20 of her original works, including classics like “The First Snow in 2002,” “Love Song of the West Sea,” and “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.”
According to Wang Jinlan, she previously created a “Wang Jinlan Folk Song Diary,” from which Dao Lang allegedly plagiarized his 20 works, and the name “Dao Lang” was mentioned in this folk song diary. Additionally, she provided many manuscripts as evidence.
The whistleblower stated that former “Xinjiang Urban Daily” chief editor Dong Jiansheng, entertainment journalist Hou Hui (now a commentator for the “Xinjiang Daily” group), and editor Yi Guangming (now an editor for Chengdu Media Group’s Chengdu Quan Sou News Website) were involved in this incident.
Furthermore, the whistleblower accused Dong Jiansheng and the Yangzijiang Road police station of depriving her of her right to report the theft of her original manuscripts under the guise of “police-civilian partnership.” She claimed that her original manuscripts were stolen, leading to her being ostracized and forced to move to Beijing, eventually returning to Urumqi, Xinjiang 13 years later, where she and her family faced threats from Dong Jiansheng and others.
A statement was released on November 23 on the official Douyin account of Dao Lang’s management company, Chengdu Ah Ya La Culture Communication Co., Ltd, regarding the recent accusations by Wang Jinlan.
The statement mentioned that a woman claiming to be Wang Jinlan had spread false information through various short video platforms, fabricating facts and falsely accusing Dao Lang of engaging in corrupt transactions and plagiarizing her 20 original works.
The statement declared that all information published by Wang Jinlan on related accounts was false and constituted slander against Dao Lang. The company had gathered evidence regarding Wang Jinlan’s dissemination of infringing information. Legal actions were being taken against Wang Jinlan and the account holders for spreading false information and defaming Dao Lang.
The accusations have sparked controversy on mainland Chinese social media platforms. Some netizens suggest that Wang Jinlan’s accusations against Dao Lang are likely a publicity stunt. Others argue that the truth will prevail, and someone may either face legal repercussions or fall from grace.
Public records show that Dao Lang, originally named Luo Lin, is from Zizhong, Sichuan, and dropped out of school to pursue a career in music. In the early 1990s, he formed bands in places like Chengdu and Hainan. It was in Hainan where he met his current wife, Zhu Mei, a Xinjiang woman. Influenced by Zhu Mei, Dao Lang went to Xinjiang for inspiration and subsequently established the Northwest Music Studio.
In 2004, his album “The First Snow in 2002” gained widespread popularity without any promotion, with songs like “Lover,” “Impromptu Punishment,” and the title track becoming hits nationwide. However, due to difficulties adapting to the entertainment industry at the time, Dao Lang chose to step back, focus on songwriting, and withdrew from the limelight.
In the same year, during a performance in Chengdu, Dao Lang took on a 17-year-old named Yun Duo as his apprentice, recommended by his mentor.
Starting in 2011, after a five-year hiatus, Dao Lang held “Thank You” concert tours in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Urumqi, Hong Kong, and other cities.
In 2023, Dao Lang released the album “Mountain Songs Liao Zai,” with the song “Rakshasa in the Sea Market” gaining popularity online in mainland China. However, the following day after the release, Dao Lang’s appearance at a CCP Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Party Committee study session was censored by authorities shortly after being reported by mainland media.
With Dao Lang’s fame came various controversies surrounding him.
In 2004, Dao Lang filed a lawsuit against Pan Xiaofeng (stage name “Western Dao Lang”) in a Beijing court for copyright infringement. Pan Xiaofeng’s spokesperson accused Luo Lin of turning regional culture into private property. Ultimately, Pan Xiaofeng lost the final appeal.
In 2019, Dao Lang’s lawyers sued singer Jomkham Tibetan for unauthorized performances of Dao Lang’s original works “Love Song of the West Sea” and “Gentleness in the Palm” during two commercial shows. Jomkham Tibetan was ordered to cease infringement and compensate Dao Lang.
In October this year, Dao Lang’s exclusive copyright company released a statement explaining the termination of its contract with Yun Duo on a video platform. Many netizens expressed regret over their mentor-disciple relationship. An insider revealed that the statement was issued due to copyright issues related to their songs.