Taiwanese ballroom dancing queen Serena Liu Chen had danced with many international stars, but Andy Lau was the only one who held her hand and led her down the stage after the dance, she had said.

The gentlemanly gesture left a deep impression on Liu, who shot to fame after dancing with the Hong Kong superstar on the Variety Big Brother show in 2004.

The Heavenly King also showed kindness to Liu by assuring her that it was not a problem when she accidentally left a lipstick mark on his shirt while dancing.

She had worried about the reaction of his fans as there were many of them there at that time.

On Monday, Lau joined a list of celebrities in the Chinese-language entertainment industry who paid tribute to Liu, who died at age 44 on Sunday, following a drawn-out hospital stay, where she was awaiting a heart transplant after heart valve replacement surgery.

She leaves behind her husband, singer Shin Lung, 48, and their four-year-old daughter Ni Ni.

Lau said he felt very sad after learning about her death and hoped Shin could take care of himself, their daughter and his family.

Besides Lau, other celebrities who have paid tribute to Liu include actress Ruby Lin, actress Terri Kwan, singer Tony Sun and television host Sandy Wu.

Hong Kong actress Yvonne Yung, 51, who had known Liu for many years as they used to belong to the same management agency, said both of them loved dancing.

Liu taught her Latin dance while she taught Liu ballet and folk dance.

She added that they had lots in common, as both of them loved shoes too. Liu was said to be a shoe fanatic, with a large collection of high heels.

Former Mediacorp actor Jeff Wang, who is now based in Taiwan as an actor, posted a black photo on his Instagram in memory of Liu.

He noted the unpredictable nature of life, as he urged fans to seize the day and cherish and take care of the people around them.

According to China Times, Liu's family will hold a memorial for her on April 22.

The number 22 has a special meaning for the dancer, as she and Shin reportedly first began dating on July 22.

They previously mentioned in interviews that they had a small celebration on the 22nd of every month with gestures such as giving each other cakes or gifts.

Her wake will be open to the public from today to Sunday.