The ashes of Taiwanese actress Barbie “Big S” Hsu Shi-yuan have been sent back to the self-ruled island after she died of pneumonia during a trip in Japan, with her family saying there will not be a memorial ceremony for the star.

Taiwanese actor Barbie Hsu, who rose to fame across East Asia as the romantic lead in the 2001 television drama "Meteor Garden", has died of influenza aged 48, her sister said on Monday.

Taiwanese actor Barbie Hsu, one of the most prominent stars in the Chinese-speaking world, has died of a flu-related illness at age 48, Taiwan’s official Central News Agency reported Monday, citing her sister.