A Lawyer's Final Act of Justice

This is a record of an interview with Zhou Caiguang, who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his life and his passing during the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Tong, on December 6, 2025.

Zhou Caiguang speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. My name is Zhou Caiguang. I am thirty-eight years old, and I was a lawyer by profession. You must find it quite strange—why would I be living in Wang Fuk Court? Given my financial status and social standing, one would expect me to live in a much more prestigious area. However, I am also a property investor. Years ago, a friend introduced me to the property, and she sold it to me at a very favourable price. I hired professional contractors to renovate the entire place, replacing the old wiring and creating beautiful, well-organised partitions. I managed the space in a very human-centric way, allowing for more bookshelves. I even rented the unit out to single professionals, avoiding families, as I was worried about cooking fumes staining the wallpaper.

A Lawyer with a Conscience

It was only in the last two years that I reclaimed the apartment for my own use. I moved a massive collection of case files, legal textbooks, and my printer into this space so I could prepare for court hearings. That study was filled with documents for my clients' cases; to me, they were incredibly important. I was not the type of lawyer who only cared about money. I always preferred to help the vulnerable, so my fees were always adjusted based on the individual's situation. People at the Law Society would often laugh at me, saying, 'You are a lawyer, aren't you supposed to be making a fortune? Why are you working against your own interests? Everyone knows you are a brilliant orator; it is such a waste not to use that to make money!'

I, Zhou Caiguang, refused to earn black-hearted money. There are plenty of other ways to make a living, so please, do not worry about my poverty. Deep inside, I harboured a sense of heroism. I could not bear to see injustice and simply ignore it. I loved to filter through complex, wrongful cases, repeatedly listening to the testimonies, analysing them, finding the loopholes, and presenting new evidence to refute the opposition, all to help the wrongly accused find exoneration. I always made bold hypotheses and conducted meticulous analyses, hoping to bring the truth to light and restore justice.

The Weight of Unspoken Truths

In those final days, I had received anonymous tips regarding several wrongful cases that needed clearing up. I was looking through them in the midst of my busy schedule. One case involved a pair of parents whose son was being bullied by a teacher who accused the boy of sexual misconduct. The teacher had used a threatening tone, saying, 'If you make a scene, you will bear the consequences. You will lose face if you slander a teacher. Consider my abuse of your son as him becoming an adult early.'

When this information reached me, it was like an explosion. How could such a vile act be allowed to continue? How could such a predatory teacher remain at large? I needed more time to gather evidence, but I was running out of time. I asked a junior student from the law faculty to help me organise these complex documents. They needed to be filed, and I even instructed her to use my phone to photograph the confidential evidence and upload it to the cloud with encryption. Even if the physical, handwritten evidence were destroyed, there would still be a backup.

The Smell of Disaster

That day, my junior and I were in the living room discussing how to deal with those wicked people and how to get journalists to report on positive news instead of the constant negativity. This society needs a spirit of Goodness. Just as we were speaking, we smelled something burning. We assumed it was just someone being careless, but the air soon became thick with a pungent chemical odour. I had wanted to discuss more details and even invite a friend who was a police officer to help that child, but the smell became truly unbearable. It was foul! I went to the washroom to wet a towel and was heading toward the door. My junior said, 'Let's open the window.' She did not open it, which was fortunate, because the moment she did, black smoke poured in through the window gaps! I immediately shouted at her, 'Close it quickly!' I told her we had no time to waste and to grab the important items.

Suddenly, we heard someone screaming in terror outside the door, 'Run! The fire is here!' They were pounding on my door! 'Lawyer Zhou! Lawyer Zhou!' I realised it was Grandma Ye from next door. Had her home caught fire? My junior and I opened the door and saw her face covered in soot. Sparks were erupting from the elevator, and the smoke was already beginning to fill the hallway. Without a second thought, I hoisted Grandma Ye onto my back and signalled to my junior to follow my lead. Grandma Ye kept wailing, 'That old house is my memory! I did not take my ancestral tablets! I am a sinner! I cannot face my late husband! Lawyer Zhou, put me down! This old woman will perish with her home, otherwise, I will not be able to close my eyes in death!'

A Conviction to Save Others

Carrying Grandma Ye, I said in a desperate, urgent tone, 'What kind of filial piety is that? If you die inside that house, that is the greatest unfilial act! You would be failing your parents. Living well is what gives your family peace of mind. The spirits of your ancestors have surely run faster than you! You still have a body. You can always have the wood re-carved and re-consecrated later. Please, just stay on my back, chant the Buddha's name, and pray to the Bodhisattvas! Do not dwell on such dark thoughts. I, Lawyer Zhou, have never lost a case; I intend to stand against the God of Fire and the God of Death. You and my junior must escape together!'

I, Zhou Caiguang, had conviction. As long as there is Goodness, one must keep doing it. I still wanted to help more people. At that moment, I looked in every direction and saw nothing but thick smoke. The heat was oppressive, and my face was covered in sweat, which stung my eyes terribly. My junior took out a handkerchief and wiped the grime from my face so I could see where I was going. By then, neighbours from the same floor were running around in a panic, bumping into me. They were all injured, their faces filled with terror.

The Hidden Path to Survival

Looking around at the fire, which had spiralled out of control, I told Grandma Ye and my junior, 'I have brought you to this floor where the smoke is thinner. I know of a ventilation shaft that leads to the adjacent building, where the fire brigade is currently rescuing people. You must take care of yourselves.' I handed my important computer bag and phone to my junior, telling her to get out first and overcome the obstacles.

'These contain the evidence of crimes, including contact information. You must promise me you will help that child escape the demon's clutches. Grandma Ye, you are not injured; you must turn the tide and save yourself!' I watched them crawl through the ventilation shaft toward the fourth floor. I had no time to say goodbye. I turned back, intending to tell others that this ventilation shaft was a way to escape.

I knew about this life-saving ventilation shaft because of the design blueprints the contractors showed me during my renovations—it was an object left behind by the design team. Fortunately, it was large enough to bear a person's weight! I had chosen not to have it removed, which secretly pleased me, but I also knew my abilities were limited. I would help as many people as I could; as for my own life, I had already let it go. By then, the fire was everywhere. I could not see the direction, and I knew there was not much time left. My towel was drying out from the hot wind. I kept chanting the Buddha's name in my heart, believing that the Buddha would help me.

The Final Transition

I kept calling out from the fourth floor, telling people there was a new passage and not to panic. When I heard someone respond, I was overjoyed from the bottom of my heart. A woman said, 'Sir, you said there is an escape route on the fourth floor, but I don't know the way. There are six of us, and we all trust you.' I clapped my hands to make a sound and told them to follow it to the stairs. A woman with five teenagers ran toward me. 'Cover your noses and mouths and run down to the fourth floor. If you cannot see the floor numbers, rely on the memory of your feet—count the steps for each floor. On the fourth floor, there is a hidden door marked "Storage Room." Open it, and you will find the large ventilation shaft. Slide down; the fire brigade will be there to receive you. This is what I have already arranged with my junior.'

I kept calling out like this until the air grew thinner and thinner. Having inhaled too much thick smoke, my strength failed me. I collapsed on the ground and was consumed by the fire, becoming a charred corpse. Even as I burned, I still had consciousness. The pain was beyond words; my body curled up, and I burned until my bones were exposed. My spirit floated up, and looking at the fate I had suffered, I could not help but sigh in sorrow.

Gratitude and Deliverance

I still had grand ambitions to speak for the people. I wept like a child, crouching in the air and hugging myself. What bad deeds had I done in the past to end up trapped in this sea of fire? I was still not clear-minded enough. I was heartbroken, suffering for that physical body. People around me were also crying. I watched the pieces of flesh and my own exposed white bones.

I touched the place where my heart was. Yes, I, Zhou Caiguang, was dead. I had to face the facts. Crying was of no use to me at all. I should perform the seven-day rites for myself—there were no Taoist priests to ring bells for me, and no one to chant repentance texts. But I could chant the Buddha's name for myself! I returned to a moment of clarity. I wanted to settle the other spirits, but they did not pay attention to me; perhaps our attachments were different, or perhaps we were in different spaces.

At that moment, a golden light shone upon me. It felt very novel. In an instant, I arrived in a very bright place, and the sound of "Namo Amituofo... Namo Amituofo" filled my ears. I realised that I was able to leave the space of the fire and avoid further spiritual torment because the compassionate Namo Amituofo had saved me. Now, I hold the Buddha-name tightly with a heart of gratitude. I am grateful to Namo Amituofo for coming to save me, so that I no longer have to reincarnate!

I am grateful for the Chao Du performed by the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. I am grateful to Namo Amituofo for bringing me back to the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.

Namo Amituofo.

Zhou Caiguang"