The application was submitted by Zhou Haiying, son of Lu Xun, Monday's Shanghai-based Wenhui Daily reported.

An official from SAIC said that the impact on society has to be considered when naming consumer brands after celebrities.

"Lu Xun was one of the greatest writers of modern China. It is improper to use his name in commercial activities," said the official.

However, experts agreed it is okay to name schools and libraries after Lu Xun, as these carry forward national spirit among Chinese youngsters.

"Lu Xun was least related to for liquor, though he drank a little wine sometimes," said Qiu Shixiong, the honorary curator of the Lu Xun Memorial Museum in Shaoxing, Lu's hometown in east China's Zhejiang Province.

"It is not appropriate to connect the famous writer with liquor. The name of Lu Xun is not an economic mark, but the treasure of the whole nation," said Qiu.

Zhou Haiying said that his intention was to protect the reputation of his father. "Since my application was turned down, others will also fail. Therefore, I will not worry that my father' s reputation will be violated."

But he was very angry that a school named after his father engraved the characters "Lu Xun" on stairs outside the building. He said he could not tolerate his father's name being trampled on by people.

Although the liquor brand is banned, the Shaoxing wine commemorating Lu Xun will be produced as planned and will go on sale next month.

The bottle, to be made into the figure of Lu Xun, will carry a famous poem of the great writer.

(People's Daily 14/08/2001)