Liu Huan, popular Chinese musician who performed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, dies at 63: What we know about his cause of death and funeral ceremony arrangements

Popular Chinese musician Liu Huan died at the age of 63 in Shanghai, in East China, on Friday morning (September 25, 2026). He passed away at around 9:52 am surrounded by family members, according to obituaries issued on Saturday (September 26, 2026) by the University of International Business and Economics and the Mango V Foundation, with which he established a charity supporting young original musicians, Chinese news outlets China Daily and Xinhua reported.

Born in north China's Tianjin Municipality in August 1963, Liu dedicated his entire life to music education. He completed his graduation with a degree in French literature from the University of International Relations in Beijing.

Liu Huan's cause of death

According to Xinhua, he died of illness. However, the exact cause of death was not revealed at the time of filing of this report. Citing the obituaries, China Daily reported that Liu had requested that his funeral arrangements be kept simple. In light of that, there would be no funeral committee, and no farewell ceremony or memorial service will be held.

Liu Huan’s career

Liu retired from the university in 2023 after teaching there for over three decades since 1991, specializing in music education and the history of Western music. According to China Daily, he taught Western music history, and he also composed the university's anthem. He shot to fame in the 1980s and went on to become one of China's most recognizable voices.

He was popularly known for blending Chinese and Western musical traditions. In 2008, his music career saw its most globally recognized moment in 2008 when he performed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, where he performed the theme song "You and Me" alongside British soprano Sarah Brightman, reaching an audience of billions.

Following his demise, the university remembered Liu as a musician who brought music education, composition, and singing together, stating that his passing was a major loss to both the university and China's music community.

Besides his unmatched legacy as a musician and a teacher, Liu was also widely recognized as a mentor to younger musicians. In 2019, he took a major step in that direction when he donated 20 million yuan ($2.8 million) towards establishing the Liu Huan Original Music Fund with the Mango V Foundation, committing 1 million yuan annually to support young Chinese-language musicians.