Liu HuanLiu Huan

After graduation, Liu Huan remained at the University of International Relations as a teacher until 1991. He joined the Central Lecturer Group in Shizuishan, Ningxia, to support local education and teach music, but the timing is recorded in two ways: the Chinese Wikipedia gives a one-year period across 1985 and 1986, while Liu Huan said in an interview with Southern Weekly that it was around 1987 and that he worked at a primary school in Shizuishan for six months.

In 1987, the television series "雪城," written by 梁晓声, entered post-production and invited Liu Huan, then a recent graduate, to perform its theme song, "心中的太阳." After the song was recorded, the production team of "便衣警察," which was also in post-production at Beijing Film Studio, heard it and invited Liu Huan to perform its theme song, "少年壮志不言愁." The year the two series aired on CCTV is recorded in two ways: the lead of the Chinese Wikipedia article gives 1987, while the body of the same article and a recollection quoted by The Paper give 1988, with "便衣警察" airing on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and "雪城" on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

In 1989, Liu Huan performed the insert song "弯弯的月亮" for the musical television film "大地情语." In 1990, he and 韦唯 performed "亚洲雄风," with lyrics by 张藜 and music by 徐沛东; when the Beijing Asian Games opened on September 22, their voices rang out at Beijing Workers' Stadium. In 1993, the television series "北京人在纽约" aired, using Liu Huan's original song "千万次的问" as its theme; at the invitation of directors 郑晓龙 and 冯小刚, he led music production for the series, writing seven songs and more than 80 passages of incidental music within a month. During the 1994 Dalian International Fashion Festival, Liu Huan wrote "大连之恋" for the event. In 1998, the television series "水浒传" aired, with Liu Huan performing the featured song "好汉歌," written by 易茗 and composed by 赵季平; its melody drew on the Shandong Yuncheng zheng piece "呀儿哟" and the folk song "王大娘锯缸" from eastern Henan. Liu Huan's other film and television songs included "得民心者得天下" and "天地在我心," an insert song from the animated film "宝莲灯"; he also created original soundtracks for television series including "东边日出西边雨," "胡雪岩," and "闯关东."

In July 1991, Liu Huan joined the University of International Business and Economics as a teacher and associate professor in its Arts Teaching and Research Section, teaching "History of Western Music" and composing the university anthem, "UIBE之歌." He suspended teaching in 2009, returned to the classroom on August 31, 2011, and was appointed that year as a director of the university's third board of trustees. Liu Huan retired in September 2023.

Albums released under Liu Huan's name included "蒙古小夜曲" (1992), "记住刘欢" (1997), "六十年代生人" (2003), and "刘欢音乐档案" (2025), as well as the 2004 live album "经典20年 珍藏锦集." On March 19, 2004, he held "欢歌2004——刘欢北京个人演唱会" at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, his first solo concert. He gave another solo concert at Shanghai Grand Stage on June 9, 2006, and held the "震撼" song concert with 廖昌永 and 莫华伦 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 3, 2007. On January 1, 2013, Liu Huan held the "倾听我们的年代——留欢2012" concert at MasterCard Center in Beijing, where 吉克隽逸, 王乃恩, 权振东, 郑虹, 姚贝娜, and other contestants from "中国好声音" also performed.

In 2008, Liu Huan took part in recording the song "北京欢迎你" for the Beijing Olympics; on August 8, he performed the theme song "我和你" with British singer Sarah Brightman at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. The song was written and composed by the opening ceremony's music director, 陈其钢. In 2012, the television series "甄嬛传" aired; Liu Huan produced its original soundtrack and performed the ending song "凤凰于飞," and the soundtrack album "甄嬛传影视音乐原声大碟" was released that year. Liu Huan selected three pieces from the soundtrack, "菩萨蛮," "金缕衣," and "凤凰于飞," to form the new work "甄嬛." On January 30, 2014, Lunar New Year's Eve in the Year of the Horse, Liu Huan sang "La Vie en rose" with French actress Sophie Marceau at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala.

In 2012, Liu Huan served as a coach on Zhejiang Television's "中国好声音." In 2014, he initiated and planned the original-music program "中国好歌曲" and served as a coach. In 2017, he coached on the second season of Zhejiang Television's "中国新歌声," and his contestant 扎西平措 won the championship. In 2019, Liu Huan participated in Hunan Television's "歌手2019." When the program premiered on January 11, it was announced that Liu Huan had made a donation in his own name to establish "刘欢原创音乐公益金" with the Mango V Foundation; each January 11, he would contribute RMB 1 million to support one Chinese-language singer-songwriter under the age of 30. Liu Huan debuted his new work "帶著地球去流浪," the theme song for "流浪地球," on the season and won the season's Singer title in Changsha on the evening of April 12. On January 11, 2020, 秦凡淇 was announced as the fund's first recipient.

According to Yangcheng Evening News, Liu Huan and 卢璐 married on June 8, 1988, and Liu Huan wrote the song "璐璐" for his wife.

According to a Jimu News report relayed by The Paper, on January 1, 2026, Liu Huan appeared as the midnight guest at Bilibili's New Year's Eve gala and performed "我欲成仙" on an outdoor stage in Jinshan, Shanghai; this was his final public performance as a guest performer. An obituary from the University of International Business and Economics states that Liu Huan died after an illness in Shanghai at 9:52 a.m. on September 25, 2026, aged 63; in accordance with his wishes, the funeral arrangements were kept simple, with no farewell ceremony for his remains, no memorial service, and no funeral committee.