Chengdu Grants Na Ying Exemption After Unapproved Tribute Song at Concert
Chengdu authorities said Na Ying's brief tribute to the late Liu Huan did not require additional approval, highlighting China's strict performance censorship rules.
Authorities in Chengdu have granted a rare exemption to singer Na Ying after she added an unapproved song to her set list at a weekend concert, an episode that has drawn fresh attention to China's tightening controls over live entertainment.
Under long-standing rules, all content used in live performances — including songs and stand-up comedy scripts — must be cleared in advance by local authorities. Artists who breach the requirement can face fines, bans from future performances, or even restrictions on public appearances.
Na, one of China's most influential female singers, performed "Curved Moon" during her Chengdu concert on Saturday. She dedicated the song to her friend and fellow singer Liu Huan, a household name who died the previous day.
"I want to sing a song he sang before on this stage, to pay tribute to him," Na, dressed in black, told the audience, according to videos circulating on social media. Her voice trembled as she sang.
The Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism said in a statement that the performance was "a brief, fragmentary performance during an audience interaction segment rather than a full rendition of the song" and therefore did not require additional approval.
Online commenters described the moment as an "expensive tribute," expressing admiration for Na while also worrying that she could be fined.
Liu, one of China's best-known musicians for nearly four decades, died on Friday at the age of 63, according to an obituary published on Sunday by the University of International Business and Economics. A professor of music history, he taught at the university for more than three decades before retiring.
He performed the theme song for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony alongside soprano Sarah Brightman. Brightman called Liu "an amazing talent and a true gentleman" and said he "will be greatly missed" in posts on Facebook and X on Sunday.
The Chengdu decision came weeks after authorities in Wuhan fined one of the country's best-known comedians for changing the lyrics of a patriotic song during a performance.