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| Who’s the Real Voice Behind “Nian Lun”? Silence Wang Pulls Plug After Dispute with Zhang Bichen |
A song that defined an era of Chinese drama romance is now being silenced—literally. “Nian Lun” (Annual Ring), the iconic ballad from the 2015 mega-hit drama The Journey of Flower starring Zhao Liying, is no longer allowed to be performed. The reason? A brewing dispute between singer Diamond Zhang Bichen and songwriter Silence Wang Sulong that just exploded into the open.
Let’s rewind a bit. If you’ve ever ugly-cried over Bai Zihua and Hua Qiangu’s tragic love story, odds are you did it with “Nian Lun” playing in the background. But now, ten years after it first aired, the very song that soundtracked countless fans' memories is caught up in a messy copyright tug-of-war.
🎬 It All Started With a Livestream…
A random livestream by influencer “Wang Zai Xiao Qiao” unexpectedly lit the fuse. The content creator boldly claimed that Zhang Bichen was the only original singer of “Nian Lun,” throwing shade at Silence Wang’s version. That didn’t sit well with many, especially fans of Wang Sulong (Silence Wang). When pressed, the influencer stood firm and refused to clarify, sparking intense online debates.
Things escalated fast. On 25 July just past midnight, Silence Wang’s team officially revoked all performance rights for “Nian Lun,” which means nobody—not even Zhang Bichen—is allowed to publicly perform it anymore. Oof.
🧾 Receipts, Emails, and Copyright Claims
Silence Wang’s team (via Elephant Music) explained that they originally didn’t want to get involved, but the wave of online hate made them act. To clear things up, they released internal emails from ten years ago, showing that “Nian Lun” was always planned as a dual-version release—one male (Wang Sulong), one female (Zhang Bichen).
They made it clear that Silence Wang is the songwriter and full copyright owner of the track. So even if Zhang Bichen’s version came out first, the decision over who gets to sing it still lies with him.
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🧍♀️ Zhang Bichen’s Side Fires Back
Not one to stay quiet, Zhang Bichen’s studio responded just an hour later. They pushed back hard, insisting she is the true original singer of the song.
According to them, her version of “Nian Lun” dropped first—on 15 June 2015—and was the one used as the official OST for The Journey of Flower. Silence Wang’s version, they say, didn’t appear until two weeks later.
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There was no mention of co-original singers at the time, they argue. And now, nearly a decade later, it feels unfair that her version is suddenly being sidelined.
In a separate Weibo post, Zhang Bichen’s studio expressed disappointment over the whole situation. They said it was unfortunate that a beloved song was dragged into controversy because of one influencer’s careless claim.
They also thanked fans for standing by over the past ten years and announced they would now be “saying goodbye” to the song in a respectful way.
.png "Zhang Bichen vs Silence Wang – Why “Annual Ring” from The Journey of Flower Can’t Be Performed Anymore") |
🎶 Fans Torn, Song Silenced
The reactions online have been a rollercoaster. Some netizens are staunchly Team Zhang Bichen, while others back Silence Wang’s copyright control. But a big chunk of the public is just sad. After all, “Nian Lun” wasn’t just a hit—it was the song that carried the emotional weight of a whole generation’s drama watching years.
What stings most? The fact that both artists have performed it together in the past—proof that, once upon a time, there was harmony. Now, even tribute performances are off the table.
Netizens noticed that QQ Music had removed the “original singer” label from Zhang Bichen’s version of Annual Ring, sparking online discussion. Previously, the platform had only credited Zhang Bichen as the original singer, while other platforms like NetEase Cloud Music had long listed both Zhang Bichen and Silence Wang as “co-original artists.”
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🥀 The Final Goodbye?
With the song’s 10-year anniversary approaching next year, fans had been quietly hoping for a nostalgic re-release, duet, or throwback event. Instead, they’re now left with a symbolic farewell and a ban on any future performances. It’s a bittersweet end for a tune that meant so much to so many.
One thing’s for sure—no one expected a love song to end in a legal breakup.