[Global Times reporter Zhang Ni] "Childhood is over! "Knowing that the 36-year-old "Fairy Tale King" monthly magazine will be suspended in January next year, many "post-80s" are shocked and more regretful. "I am very sad to make this decision", Zheng Yuanjie, the founder of "Fairy Tale King", said in an exclusive interview with the Global Times reporter, after all, this magazine "post-70s" began to read, has been seeing "post-10s", "I thought for a year, there is really no way to make this last resort decision, fully defend rights, hope to attract the attention of relevant departments." ”
Someone once asked Zheng Yuanjie what kind of work he would do if he couldn't write. He said, "It's the lawyers. Because I don't stick to it, I will definitely find the angle to defeat the other side. The "fairy tale king" seems to be getting closer and closer to his "second profession".
If all 672 trademarks are successfully protected, it is possible to resume publication
Global Times: Why defend rights at the expense of suspension of publication? Is it possible to resume publication in the future?
Zheng Yuanjie: I wrote a letter to three infringing trademarks in the final issue of Fairy Tale King, and I shed tears while writing. People my age rarely shed tears anymore. I have used these three trademarks for 32 years without success.
I had been infringing on my intellectual property rights since the mid-1980s, when it was mostly pirated books, and the cost of defending rights was high at the time. But over the years, the state has become more and more vigorous in protecting intellectual property rights, and now the protection of pirated books can be described in four words: it is as easy as a palm. Intellectual property rights consist of three parts: copyright, patent rights and trademark rights. In the past ten years, China has become increasingly perfect in protecting copyrights and patent rights, and it is very difficult to protect rights in the field of trademarks. There are now 672 trademark infringements of well-known literary characters that have infringed my originals, such as Pipilu, Shuk, beta, and so far only 16 have been successfully defended. My trademark protection took an average of 6 years, the longest one took 14 years, and the average cost of each trademark was 90,000 yuan. If all 672 trademarks are successfully protected, I think it is possible to resume publications.
GLOBAL TIMES: If your main focus for the rest of your life is on trademark protection rather than creation, is it worth it?
Zheng Yuanjie: I think it is worth it. This is not done entirely for their own sake, and other originals will encounter the same problem. When I first started writing in the early 1980s, I wanted to create literary figures that were more well-known than the authors themselves, and that such literary figures would certainly have economic value. So I have two principles for naming literary characters: First, China must have this surname. Second, the name cannot be a Chinese existing phrase, otherwise once someone infringes you cannot defend your rights.
For example, shuker can't defend his rights if he calls it "comfortable." Now the court used this expression when supporting me: Pipilu and Shuk are non-Chinese not-so-called phrases, and they are literary images created by Zheng Yuanjie. In my infringement case, there were Pipilu brand pork skin meat, Shuk brand underwear, fairy tale ace children's clothing... A lot of people see these names and think it's my business. If you use this "rubbing heat" and "hitchhiking" method to operate, can the quality of the product be guaranteed? This is actually a form of unfair competition.
The reason why I made the decision to stop publishing was that on the one hand, I felt that there was no hope, but on the other hand, I felt that there was hope. Because ten years ago, I had called for the reform of the annual inspection of private cars, and then it was successful. Will trademark enforcement have the same effect? I think so.
Retaining curiosity is more useful than sending children to cram school
Global Times: One person wrote a copy of "Fairy Tale King" for 36 years, breaking the Guinness World Record. How did you do it?
Zheng Yuanjie: I think it is due to personality. All kinds of personalities contribute to the success of your career in a certain field. My personality can be described as "dead", and I have loved to compete since I was a child. When "Fairy Tale King" was founded two years ago, I went to Lushan to attend a meeting, at which a university professor said that a person writing a monthly magazine is not something that should not be done in the history of literature, which is a joke. If he hadn't said that, I probably wouldn't have been writing for two years, but when he said that, I'd put his name in front of the desk and keep it on until now.
I submit a manuscript on the 1st of each month in Fairy Tale King magazine, and I have to write 3,000 words a day. But I found that I couldn't write during the day, there was no phone at home at that time, and whoever wanted to find you went directly to the door. Later, I renovated a dark room in my home and installed a mirror. When someone came, I hid in the darkroom and wrote. This house is still there, and I wrote a work called "309 Dark Room", which is based on this. Then I thought, when surely no one will look for me? Only from 4:30 to 6:30 in the morning, I write at this time every day, and at the same time make sure to sleep for 8 hours, and now the biological clock has developed.
Global Times: Where did the inspiration for 36 years come from?
Zheng Yuanjie: I have tested that my psychological age is 6 years old, and people around me think that I do things like a child. To say something that may not be appropriate, it may be because I have less school and less knowledge, so I retain my curiosity, which is childish. Curious people are always inspired. Check Baidu is to get the results directly, there is a process of their own research, is life not a living process?
I often tell parents that you don't have to worry about what your children get, but what you keep is the most important. Retaining curiosity is more useful than letting a child go to this class, and with curiosity, he may become an original talent when he grows up.
GLOBAL TIMES: In addition to curiosity, does reading have an impact on your creations?
Zheng Yuanjie: When I was a child, I liked to watch "Journey to the West" and "Don Quixote". It turns out that the books you like should be your strengths. I am very disgusted with recommending books to others, because everyone's genetics, growth environment, personality, etc. are different. There is no book in the world that is suitable for everyone, and you should read your favorite book.
What I read more now are historical books, natural sciences, and various legal books. Many years ago, I compiled the crimes of Chinese criminal law into a book called Pipilu and the 469 Deadly Sins. In the future, I also plan to publish a copy of "Zheng Yuanjie's Court Statement", which will be published in the court statements that I have appeared in court every time in recent years, with the purpose of allowing children to develop the habit of respecting the intellectual property rights of others and respecting originality from an early age.
Children's books must first have good stories that appeal to children
Global Times: Your fairy tales have become the common memory of generations, but there are also parents who are reluctant to let their children read your works too early, believing that there are more things that reflect the dark side of human nature and society, and even some people call them "black fairy tales".
Zheng Yuanjie: Whether or not to read my fairy tales is the right of parents and the rights of children. I am more proud that my books are purchased and read by children at their own discretion, unlike some works that are included in textbooks as "must reads". My books now sell about 30,000 copies a day, which proves that there are still many parents who are willing to let their children read my books.
Global Times: The live-action fairy tale movie "Pipilu and The Canned Villain of Rusisi" has received a good response after its release this year, what are the plans for the filmization of Zheng Yuanjie's fairy tale IP in the future? In the age of video, will paper children's books be impacted?
Zheng Yuanjie: This movie was run by my son Zheng Yaqi. The previous animated series "Shuk Beta" and the online movie "Taming of the Rabbit" were very successful. He and his team made a plan to show my 718 IPs in different art forms, including stage plays.
Whether paper books will be impacted I don't know, but written works will not be impacted – even if paper books are eliminated, there are e-books. But children's books are an exception, because parents are reluctant to let their children's eyes look at the screen for a long time, so this is also a spectacle of the world: all paper works are declining, only children's books are rising without falling.
Global Times: It has been reported that at present, children's books in the Chinese market are mainly foreign works, and many domestic children's books do not like to read. In your opinion, what is the biggest problem in chinese children's book creation?
Zheng Yuanjie: I don't understand the situation you said, nor have I read the children's books written by others. If you must say one thing, children's books should first have a good story that attracts children, and then talk about edutainment.