Shocking news has emerged from the Chinese music world: renowned musician and singer Liu Huan passed away at 9:52 a.m. on Friday, September 25 — the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival — in Shanghai, surrounded by his family, at the age of 63. The University of International Business and Economics and the “Liu Huan Original Music Charity Fund” both released obituaries today (the 26th) confirming his death; the official cause of death has not been announced. During his lifetime, Liu Huan spanned singing, composing, and music education; he was not only the champion of “Singer 2019,” but also served as a coach on “The Voice of China” and composed a large amount of music for “Empresses in the Palace.”
Liu Huan Died on September 25; His Wishes: No Farewell Ceremony or Memorial Service
According to the obituary issued by the University of International Business and Economics, Liu Huan was born in Tianjin in August 1963 and joined the university in July 1991 as a teacher and associate professor at the Arts Teaching and Research Office, retiring in September 2023 after more than 30 years of teaching. He was long devoted to music aesthetic education, and his course “History of Western Music” was a classic aesthetic education course at the school.
The university also stated that, in accordance with Liu Huan’s final wishes, all funeral arrangements will be kept simple, with no funeral committee established and no farewell ceremony or memorial service held. Meanwhile, the obituary released by the China Social Welfare Foundation’s “Liu Huan Original Music Charity Fund” together with the Mango V Fund revealed that Liu Huan passed away with his family by his side, and that in the future, in keeping with his wishes, they will continue to run the annual “Liu Huan Original Music Charity Fund” to carry on his unfinished music charity work.
Notably, the Mid-Autumn Festival in 2026 falls on September 25 — the very day Liu Huan passed away.
Beat Wu Ching-feng and Chyi Yu on “Singer 2019” to Win “Song King” Title
For younger audiences, one of Liu Huan’s most memorable recent performances was on Hunan TV’s “Singer 2019.” He advanced all the way to the finals and ultimately won that season’s “Song King” title with a medley of “Empresses in the Palace”-related songs — “Golden Robe,” “Pusaman,” and “Phoenix in Flight” — beating powerhouse singers such as Wu Ching-feng and Chyi Yu.
Liu Huan’s connection to “Empresses in the Palace” went beyond the “Singer” stage. Back then, at the invitation of director Zheng Xiaolong, he participated in producing the original soundtrack for “Empresses in the Palace,” composing the melodies for the opening theme “Hong Yan Jie,” the ending theme “Phoenix in Flight,” as well as “Pusaman” and “Golden Robe”; “Hong Yan Jie” was sung by Yao Beina, while Liu Huan himself wrote, composed, and sang “Phoenix in Flight.”
From “Heroes’ Song” to the Beijing Olympics: A Voice Spanning Decades
Liu Huan’s music career spanned decades. He first rose to prominence in the 1980s with songs such as “The Sun in My Heart” and “Youthful Ambition Knows No Sorrow,” and later left behind classics including “The Crescent Moon,” “A Thousand Times Asked,” and “Heroes’ Song.” At the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he sang the theme song “You and Me” in a duet with British singer Sarah Brightman — one of the most internationally recognized moments of his music career.
Beyond being a singer, Liu Huan was also long committed to music education and promoting original music. In 2014, he initiated and planned the original music show “Sing My Song,” serving as a coach himself; in 2019, he personally funded the establishment of the “Liu Huan Original Music Charity Fund” in partnership with the Mango V Fund to support Chinese-language original musicians.
Previously Suffered from Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head; Official Cause of Death Not Announced
Liu Huan’s health has consequently come under renewed attention. He had indeed previously suffered from avascular necrosis of the femoral head, sometimes called the “incurable cancer.” In a 2010 interview, Liu Huan revealed that he first noticed an abnormality in his right leg in early 2009 while in the United States, and after returning to Beijing in June of that year was diagnosed with avascular necrosis of the right femoral head, believing that past trauma was the main cause. The following year, he underwent hip surgery and subsequent rehabilitation before returning to work.
However, no official information has confirmed any direct link between avascular necrosis of the femoral head and Liu Huan’s death. The obituaries issued by the University of International Business and Economics and the Liu Huan Original Music Charity Fund only used the phrase “died of illness,” without disclosing what disease he had or the specific cause of death, so his past orthopedic condition should not be directly cited as the cause of death.
Na Ying and Harlem Yu Mourn in Turn; Terry Lin: ‘Every Mid-Autumn From Now On, I’ll Miss One More Person’
After news of Liu Huan’s death broke, many former collaborators expressed their condolences. Harlem Yu, who served alongside him as a coach on “The Voice of China,” said he was shocked by the news and offered his final blessings; Na Ying also reminisced through her studio about the days when they sang and worked together.
Terry Lin lamented that an important musician, educator, and singer in his heart departed on this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival, describing it as Liu Huan having “flown to the moon,” and said that every Mid-Autumn Festival in the future, he will miss one more person.
