KUALA LUMPUR: Renowned Taiwanese musician and director Liu Chia-chang, often hailed as the "Godfather of Music" in Taiwan, has died at the age of 81.
The celebrated composer, known for crafting timeless hits for Mandopop icons such as Liu Wen-cheng, Fong Fei-fei, and Fei Yu-ching, succumbed to cancer on Dec 2, according to The Straits Times.
Liu's family issued a heartfelt statement to the media, referring to him as "Teacher."
It read: "Teacher's life was filled with music and love. His talent and effort resulted in many works of art which have accompanied and touched countless people. In this difficult time, our family would like to thank everyone for their concern and support.
"In his last days, Teacher was with his closest family and was in a state of peace. His smile and warmth still stay in our memories. We understand the love people have for him, but out of respect for our family's privacy, his affairs and funeral will be handled in a quiet and simple manner."
Earlier this year, Liu discovered a lump in his neck and was later diagnosed with tumors in his brain and lungs after returning from a trip to Hong Kong in February.
Despite the announcement of his passing, Liu's estranged son, singer-actor Jeremiah Chang, expressed disbelief.
In a Facebook post on Dec 4, the 38-year-old said: "All the reports only cite 'friends' and 'family,' instead of anyone who is named, so I'm left wondering if the news is true or false."
Jeremiah, born to Liu and actress Chen Chen, became estranged from his father following a bitter family feud over copyright disputes and alleged interference in his career.
The fallout led Jeremiah to adopt his mother's surname in 2019.
Liu's storied career spanned decades, during which he directed and scored the 1976 Golden Horse Award-winning film The Victory and composed classics such as Wang Shi Zhi Neng Hui Wei (The Past Can Only Be Reminisced, 1970) and Yi Lian You Meng (Fantasies Behind the Pearly Curtain, 1974).
In a bittersweet coincidence, novelist Chiung Yao, whose work inspired one of Liu's most iconic compositions, also passed away on Dec 4 at the age of 86.