A Chinese composer is accusing the master composer of last year's blockbuster "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" of using his work without credit or permission.

Ning Yong, an associate professor at Southern China Normal University's music conservatory, said yesterday he had contacted a legal firm in Guangzhou about suing Tam Dun, who won the Academy Award for Best Original Score this year for the film.

"They did not tell me anything before using the score in the film," Ning said. "It is so annoying. I want a formal apology for that. All I want to do is to let my voice be heard and get back what I should have."

But director Ang Lee hit back yesterday in an open letter to the Chinese media in which he said he paid royalties for Ning's work, "Camel Bell in Silk Route," which Ning wrote as a graduate student in 1982.

Ning acknowledged receiving two checks for US$200 each in May 2000 and April 2001, but he said the checks did not say anything about the film score.

"There is no explanation in it. I just got a check that might have come for any reason at all, " said Ning, "The point is not the check, but the bottom line is that they have used my property without permission. A check cannot easily appease my agony."

Tam declined to comment while on his way home to New York from Taipei over the weekend.

Ning discovered his work was in the film in March when one of his students told him about it.

The student, Liu Bo, said the China Record Company's Shanghai branch phoned him earlier in 2000 because the shooting team wanted to use a piece on his 1992 album. The music was actually Ning's works.

Liu was quoted by the Shanghai Evening Post as saying the shooting team had informed Ning and paid the royalties. Liu told this to Ning two months ago.

Record company official Chen Jianping said the company carefully followed through with all copyright obligations in making the film.

(China Daily 05/22/2001)