Renowned Chinese musician, singer and songwriter Liu Huan died in Shanghai on September 25 at the age of 63, the University of International Business and Economics stated in an obituary on Saturday.

Known for his distinctive voice, broad musical knowledge and work across popular music, film and television, Liu was one of the most influential figures in contemporary Chinese music. From the 1980s onward, he created and performed a string of widely-known songs, such as Wan Wan De Yue Liang (A Curved Moon), which became part of the musical memory of generations of Chinese listeners.

Liu also made a lasting contribution to Chinese film and television music. He sang Hao Han Ge (A Real Man's Song) – the iconic theme song of the 1998 TV adaptation of Water Margin, one of the four great classical novels in China – and later served as the music producer for the hit TV series Empresses in the Palace, while performing its closing song Phoenix in Flight. His work extended from pop music to film and television soundtracks, reflecting his versatility as a vocalist, composer and music producer.

For international audiences, Liu was best known for his performance of You and Me, the official theme song of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which he sang with British soprano Sarah Brightman at the Games' opening ceremony. The simple, lyrical song, centered on the idea of people coming together through music, became one of the defining musical moments of the Beijing Olympics and introduced Liu's voice to audiences around the world.

Beyond performing and composing, Liu devoted much of his career to music education and supporting original music. In 1991, he joined the University of International Business and Economics, where he taught for more than three decades. His course on the history of Western music became a well-regarded general education course at the university.

His later work continued to demonstrate his willingness to explore different musical forms. In 2019, Liu wrote and performed Take the Earth to Wander, the theme song of the Chinese science-fiction film The Wandering Earth. He returned to the franchise in 2023 with the theme song of The Wandering Earth 2, further extending his work into contemporary film music.

Liu's death marks the passing of a major figure in China's contemporary music scene. From popular songs that became cultural touchstones in China to the Olympic stage and film music, his career spanned several decades and brought together performance, composition, music production and education.

According to the university, Liu's funeral arrangements will be kept simple in accordance with his wishes, with no farewell ceremony or memorial service.