A production still of Liu Dagang in the "Journey to the West" sequel Photo: CCTV

 
Renowned performing artist Liu Dagang, who played Sha Wujing in the sequel to the Chinese TV series Journey to the West, passed away at the age of 78 on November 3 in Beijing due to illness, according to a Weibo post by opera performer Liu Bing on Friday. 
 
Liu was widely known for taking over the role of Sha Wujing from Yan Huaili in the 1998 sequel to the show Journey to the West, which is based on one of China's four great classical novels depicting the epic adventure of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) Buddhist monk Xuan Zang and his disciples.
 
The sequel was directed by Yang Jie and starred Liu Xiao Ling Tong, Xu Shaohua, Chi Zhongrui, Cui Jingfu, and Liu. It filled in the missing episodes of the original 1986 Journey to the West, with more elaborate fight scenes and richer, more vivid character portrayals, bringing a satisfying conclusion to the series.

The drama premiered on CCTV on February 8, 2000, achieving a nationwide viewership rating of 30 percent at the time of broadcast.

Before becoming a film and television actor, Liu was a Peking opera performer with the National Peking Opera Company, specializing in the painted-face (jing) role type. He had spent decades honing his craft on the opera stage. In the 1990s, Liu began to expand into film and television roles.

On April 12, 2009, Yan Huaili, who played Sha Wujing in the 1986 version of Journey to the West, passed away from a lung infection at the age of 73.

"I felt so heartbroken. Both actors who played Sha Wujing have passed away. Farewell, and rest in peace," said one Weibo user. 
 
"When I saw this news, tears instantly streamed down my face. He was our beloved Sha Wujing. Thank you for the joy and warmth you brought us. Farewell, and rest in peace," another Weibo user commented.