Taiwanese singer-songwriter Liu Chia-chang dies following cancer diagnosis

Taiwanese music legend Liu Chia-chang died on Monday (Dec 2), following a battle with cancer. Several Chinese media outlets had reported that he was 83 years old, while other agencies stated that he was 81 or 82.

The news of his death was revealed by Hong Kong veteran entertainment reporter and programme host Wong Manling, who wrote that he died in Taipei aged 81 in an Instagram post yesterday (Dec 3).

In the post, she also shared that the composer had been diagnosed with cancer, writing:

"On Feb 8, 2024, he was in Hong Kong to apply for an identity card. His friend was in the queue with him and Chia-chang was in good spirits. After that, he noticed a big lump on his right neck. After examination, he was found to have growths in his brain and lungs and underwent chemotherapy."

Manling added that when contacted by a friend, Chia-chang's eldest son had confirmed his death but had yet to make an announcement.

"He has a last wish, which is to hope that everyone would sing the song Wo Shi Zhong Guo Ren (I am Chinese), which was composed by him. Rest in peace!" Manling stated.

Chia-chang's death was later confirmed by his family in a post on his Weibo profile.

The statement on Tuesday read: "We announce to you in great sadness that our beloved teacher Liu Chia-chang died of cancer on Dec 2, 2024.

"Chia-chang's life is full of music and love, his talent and painstaking efforts into countless works, accompanied and moved countless people. At this difficult time, our family sincerely thank everyone for their concern and support."

The family stated that the well-known songwriter was accompanied by his closest family in his last days and was "always calm and serene". "His smile and warmth is still deeply etched in our memories," they added. 

His family also shared that his funeral will be carried out "in a low-key and simple manner" to respect the privacy of family members, and urged the media to give them space to "mourn and remember Chia-chang quietly".

Ending the statement, they noted: "Thank you again for your love and support along the way, Chia-chang's music and spirit will always remain in everyone's hearts, bringing warmth and touching our hearts."

Chia-chang debuted in the entertainment industry in 1968 after gaining fame for composing the song Full Moon on the West Tower. Over the years, he had composed many classics for famous Chinese singers, including the late Teresa Teng's Du Shang Xi Liu, the late Fong Fei-fei's You Zhen Qing You Huo Li, Fei Yu-ching's Goodnight Song, Liu Wen-cheng's Promise and Jenny Tseng's Shi Yan.

Over the years, he had also directed and acted in many films, including Autumn Leaves (1977), The Lost Generation (1983) and May Jane (1994). His film Victory (1976) also won the Golden Horse Award for Best Narrative Feature in that year.

In recent years, Chia-chang's bad blood with his ex-wife, Taiwanese actress Chen Chen, 76, often made headlines. Last November, about eight years after their divorce in 2015, he criticised Chen for coveting his assets in a Weibo post. Chen retaliated by alleging that he had once threatened to sabotage their son Jeremy's singing career when he first entered showbiz, questioning his capabilities as a father.

Chia-chang responded with another Weibo post on Nov 1, apologising to the public for not handling his family matters well before reprimanding Chen for spoiling Jeremy and depriving him of a proper education. He revealed how Chen has splurged money on Jeremy, claiming that she had also hired a prostitute for their son before.

In his last Weibo post on July 1, Chia-chang, who stated that he was 83 years old, wrote that he had been involved in music for more than six decades and composed nearly 3,000 songs. He also revealed that his final wish in life was to "return to [his] motherland and build a small cultural and artistic village."

He ended his post with: "I hope that when I die, everyone can be bold and confident in singing Wo Shi Zhong Guo Ren (I am Chinese) once more."

yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com

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