Shanghai:Liu Huan, one of China's most celebrated musicians, passed away due to illness on Friday morning at the age of 63.

According to Namibia Press Agency , the Beijing-based University of International Business and Economics confirmed his death in an obituary released on Saturday. Liu was a former faculty member, having taught at the university for over three decades before retiring in 2023. His academic focus included music education and the history of Western music.

Liu Huan was born in Tianjin Municipality in August 1963 and graduated with a degree in French literature from the University of International Relations in Beijing. He gained fame in the 1980s for his distinctive style that blended Chinese and Western musical traditions.

One of Liu's most notable achievements was his performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. He sang the theme song "You and Me" alongside British soprano Sarah Brightman, an event that was broadcast to billions worldwide.