Unlicensed copycat cultural relics violate law

THOUSANDS OF FORGED TERRACOTTA WARRIORS were on exhibition in Taihu county, East China's Anhui province, without the consent or authorization of officials overseeing the real ones. Beijing News commented on Saturday:

In a statement, the management of the mausoleum of the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, which is the official site of the relics under the trademark Terra Cotta Warriors, denied any connection with the counterfeit statues, which it said constitute a "conspicuous violation" of its rights.

Yet the supervisor of the unauthorized exhibition in Taihu county argued that the forged statues are "exclusive creations", such as a sculpture of Qinshihuang, or the first Qin emperor, waving his hand atop the city wall and as such do not infringe any copyrights.