Guiding Case No. 157 – : Zuoshang Mingshe Homeware (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. v Beijing Zhongrong Hengsheng Wood Industry Co., Ltd. and Nanjing Mengyang Furniture Distribution Center (Copyright Infringement Dispute).
Guiding Case No. 157 – : Zuoshang Mingshe Homeware (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. v Beijing Zhongrong Hengsheng Wood Industry Co., Ltd. and Nanjing Mengyang Furniture Distribution Center (Copyright Infringement Dispute).
(Deliberated and issued by the Judicial Committee of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) on 23 July 2021)1 Summary of the judgment Artistic creations characterized by their originality, aesthetic attributes, functional elements and reproducibility, wherein the utility can be distinguished from the artistry, are classified as works of applied art and protected by the Copyright Law under the category of works of fine art. Copyrightable artistic works must primarily exhibit authors’ artistry. This is due to the fact that copyright law protects the artistry of works of applied art rather than their utility.