TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Liu Chia-chang (劉家昌), a revered veteran artist and musician, passed away peacefully from cancer at the age of 83, his family said on Tuesday (Dec. 2). The popular artist reportedly spent his final days surrounded by his closest relatives, maintaining tranquility until the end.
His family expressed their desire for a modest and private funeral, requesting media respect their space to mourn and remember Liu quietly. Liu, born in Harbin on March 9, 1941, attended Hsinchu Senior High School (新竹高級中學) and National Chengchi University (政治大學), though he did not graduate.
Despite lacking formal musical training, he learned music theory by observing his sisters' piano lessons. Liu debuted in 1968 with the song "Full-Moon on the West Tower" (月滿西樓) and became a prominent figure in the Taiwanese film and music industry during the 1970s and 1980s.
Liu's contributions extended to mentoring artists such as Liu Wen-cheng (劉文正), Fong Fei-fei (鳳飛飛), Brigitte Lin (林青霞), Fei Yu-ching (費玉清), and Teresa Teng (鄧麗君). His film "Victory" (梅花) won the Golden Horse Award for Best Feature Film (金馬獎最佳影片), and he received a Golden Melody Special Contribution Award (金曲特別貢獻獎).