Overseasidol.com — Sad news came on November 7, as reports confirmed that Liu Dagang, the actor best known for playing Sha Monk (Sha Wu Ching) in Journey to the West, has passed away in Beijing on November 3, 2025, due to illness.
Opera performer Liu Bing, a student of Yu opera master Ma Jinfeng, shared the news on social media, writing, “Renowned performing artist Liu Dagang, who portrayed Sha Monk in Journey to the West, passed away in Beijing. May he rest in peace and find eternal happiness,”.
Liu Dagang was a National First-Class Actor and had an extensive career in both television and film.
He gained nationwide recognition for his role in Journey to the West Sequel and was deeply loved by audiences for his honest and gentle portrayal of Sha Wu Ching.
In addition to Journey to the West, Liu Dagang also appeared in many classic productions such as The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber: The Evil Cult Master, The Book and the Sword, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Empress Wu Zetian, The Legend of Guanyin, Prime Minister Liu Luoguo, Southern Shaolin, Thirteen Princesses, The Great Dunhuang, and Wu Cheng’en and Journey to the West.
Fans and colleagues have been expressing their grief online, remembering Liu Dagang as a talented and humble artist who made a lasting mark on Chinese television history.