A Doctor’s Journey from the Flames to the Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with Dr. Ge Changxing, a 68-year-old physician who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Dr. Ge, who perished in the massive fire at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong, now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his life and his transition from the inferno to the Pure Land. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on December 10, 2025.

Dr. Ge Changxing speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. As the last person on the list, I have been waiting for this interview for such a long time! The massive fire at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong shook the world. I never expected that after death, I would have such an opportunity to share my story. It is truly a remarkable experience! I, Ge Changxing, sincerely wish to take this opportunity to tell everyone the news that Namo Amituofo has arrived in the human world. He is at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, and this is the one thing I most want to share! I am here now as well, though I have passed away, so I reside in the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre—it is the spirit world. From Hong Kong to Australia is a distance of thousands of miles, but you might not believe me when I say that I arrived here in the blink of an eye!"

A Life of Service and a Sudden End

"I spent my entire life practising medicine to save others, and I assumed I would have a good ending—at least that is how it works in the human world. But this fire truly left nothing of me, much like how I had intended to donate my entire body to medical research after my death. In the end, nothing remained. It is just that this time, I sent my body away a little earlier than planned, and I arrived here in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, where I was given brand-new white clothes and a brand-new appearance. It sounds like a fairy tale, but those who come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre will understand. This place is so close; it means that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are actually right here, very, very close to us. As long as one is willing to believe in the Buddha, practise diligently, and change one's personality traits, everyone has the opportunity to come to this Buddha-land.

I am Ge Changxing, a small-town doctor from the Tai Po district. I spent my life quietly doing the work of saving lives. I am sixty-eight years old this year. Before coming to the Tai Po district, I was part of a medical team in a small border town in mainland China. I travelled to many places; wherever I was needed, I went. In my youth, I experienced the era of reform in China and the days when medical care in the border regions was underdeveloped, so I have weathered many storms. I have always been carefree and happy, doing the work I love—there is nothing more satisfying than that. After moving from the mainland to Hong Kong, I chose to settle down in this small place in the north, and soon after, I purchased a unit at Wang Fuk Court."

The Reality of Fragility

"I did not know a single person in Hong Kong; it was like starting a new life. After retiring, I quietly supported medical-related volunteer services, though I no longer participated in frontline activities. I left that for the younger generation to strive for! I supported them both in my heart and through my actions.

Speaking of this massive fire, the greatest shock it brought me was the speed of death. Although it was not an instantaneous death like some accidents, given the speed of the fire, it showed me how utterly defenceless and fragile humans are in the face of disaster. There is no scientific method that can avoid or mitigate such harm. Thinking about it now, I still feel a bit of terror. But the me of today does not think that way anymore, because since coming here and listening to Practitioner Su give Dharma talks, I have understood the laws of karma and cause and effect. That is the most scientific of all sciences; the natural principles are just like that. Perhaps I had done some bad things in the past, which is why I was consumed by fire, but I must have also done great good to have the opportunity to come to a Pure Land like the Western Dharma-Nature Land. So, perhaps everything is destined!"

The Final Moments in the Smoke

"When the fire started, I was doing laundry. Suddenly, I smelled something wrong in the air. The scent of the laundry detergent seemed to be mixed with a foul odour. I sniffed carefully and realised it was the smell of thick smoke. I immediately put down what I was doing and walked to the front door to check. Outside, the corridor was already filled with thick smoke; it was almost impossible to see one's own hand in front of one's face! If it was a fire, I was puzzled—why couldn't I hear any alarms? Was I suffering from tinnitus?

I did not have time to think too much. I had no choice but to bite the bullet, prepare some simple water and a wet towel, and slowly move forward step by step. I did not dare to walk too fast; after all, the path I could see was so limited. Although it was a place I knew better than anywhere else, it took me five minutes just to walk from my front door to the stairwell, and I did not see a single person. Medical knowledge told me that entering the stairwell would certainly mean death, because with that concentration of smoke, it was impossible for a human to survive. Furthermore, I was certain that the fire must be nearby. If I could not go down, could I only go up? That did not seem much better, as one side of the entire building seemed to be completely covered by the fire, surrounded by thick smoke. The other half, where I lived, looked slightly clearer. I thought that since there was no chance of survival going up or down, I might as well return to my room and lock myself in. Perhaps the chances of survival would be higher there. Besides, I had heard that many deaths in fires are caused by smoke inhalation. I thought, 'Forget it, I will just go home and wait for death.' It was safer than wandering outside, where I could die anywhere at any time.

I was quite calm, though there was a sense of sorrow and attachment in my heart. If I were to die like this, my body would be of no use, and I could not donate it to the hospital for human research. Thinking about it, it was truly sad. I had my attachments. Since I was going to die, I would rather return home and die in a place I was familiar with; it would be more dignified. There was no way to control the fact that I had discovered the fire too late. Just like that, before the next wave of fire reached my door, I had already prepared myself to lock myself in my room. At that moment, I could feel the air becoming very hot. The entire environment had completely fallen into the state of a massive fire. I was ready to welcome my own death. I was calm, but inevitably, there was still a bit of sorrow."

A Transition to the Light

"In an instant—it was truly a matter of an instant—I felt my swaying room collapse. It was only when it collapsed to the floor below that I saw the sky filled with fire and smoke. Although I was burned, I believe that when I finally died, it was from smoke inhalation. I could not breathe for a moment, and then I lost consciousness. It must have been less than a few minutes in total! Just like that, inexplicably, I lost consciousness amidst excruciating pain. I knew I saw the fire; it seemed that in the moment before death, I saw the sky filled with flames, but very quickly, I lost all sensation. After the intense pain, suddenly there was no more pain. It was as if I could place myself within the sea of fire without feeling any pain at all. Thinking about it now, it is truly magical. I thought I had entered another space, and indeed, I had. It was the spirit world, which is why I did not feel pain. I quickly walked out and went to a high place to observe. It seemed there was nothing I could do. Is being dead really this boring? I could not change anything; I could only drift here and there, drift here and there. It was quite boring.

Later, my room and the surroundings suddenly became very, very bright. It was as if I could see through the space of this place. It seemed that every building in Wang Fuk Court was illuminated by a light, and from every building, many spirits like me came running out. Everyone followed the light in an orderly fashion, and in an instant, we all arrived at a place called the Western Dharma-Nature Land. Everyone kept looking left and right; this place was too beautiful. Everyone needed some time to adapt. Some people cried for a long time before they slowly began to adjust; others were fine and soon looked radiant. My heart was very calm because I saw that this was a world created by Namo Amituofo and another Buddha—Practitioner Su. My eyes were wide open; I could not wait to understand everything here. It turned out that the place we were in was also on Earth, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, a temple in the middle of a forest. This was not what I had seen of traditional temples; it was a cluster of white buildings that looked very beautiful. Moreover, the entire space was very bright, and there was Buddha-light shining upon it at all times.

I envy the people in this place, but being a spirit here is also quite good. I can still freely do many things on the lotus flowers in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. Of course, what I like most is listening to Practitioner Su give Dharma talks. Because I once studied in the field of science, I have a curiosity about this world and the universe. But listening to Practitioner Su, I finally understood why he says the Dharma is the ultimate 'high technology'. I suddenly lost interest in what I had studied before, because it was still too narrow and too limited compared to the vastness of the Buddha's teachings. I also envy Practitioner Su, who has become a Buddha and can fly around to save beings. His body can also manifest countless spirits flying out—as many as one could want, so many that they cannot be counted. I just stayed quietly in the Western Dharma-Nature Land for a period of time, and I also know that I must make vows and chant Namo Amituofo so that I can be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss in the future. This is not an easy task, but Practitioner Su says to 'chant one Buddha's name to the end'. It seems I need to strengthen my practice.

Having said so much, my sixty-eight years of life were not in vain. I used to know a lot and loved to help people. Perhaps good people get good rewards, which is why I was able to discover such a place that saves lives, called a 'salvation group'. If Practitioner Su asks me if I want to join the salvation group, I will definitely say loudly that I do! I hope Practitioner Su can accept my request. I believe I can do very well, and one day, I will be just like Practitioner Su.

Finally, with a heart full of gratitude, I say thank you to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. I will practise diligently on my lotus flower and strive to become a Buddha soon so that I can help countless suffering beings."

Ge Changxing

Namo Amituofo.