In 1982, Liu came third at the World Chess Championship Interzonal Tournament in Tbilisi with a final score of 9/14. In 1983, she qualified for the Candidates Tournament but lost her quarterfinal match held in Velden to Nana Ioseliani 6-3 (+1, =4, -4). Later, she competed in two further Interzonal Tournaments (1985 Zeleznovodsk, finishing 14th with 4½/15; and 1987 Tuzla, finishing 10th with 8½/17.)

Liu competed for the China women’s national chess team; five times at the Chess Olympiads (1980–1988) with an overall record of 68 total games played (+25, =27, -16). She had the second best performance rating and won a bronze medal for first board at the 27th Chess Olympiad in Dubai, 1986.

Liu Shilan (Chinese: 刘适兰 ; born January 24, 1962) is a Chinese female chess player who holds the WGM title, which she received in 1982. She was seven-times China National Women’s Champion (1979–81, 1983-6).