A Life Consumed by Fire: The Final Moments of Zhang Shaoyi

This is a record of an interview with Zhang Shaoyi, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his tragic passing during the massive fire at Wang Fuk Court in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong. It was recorded by the chief writer, Fa Jing, on December 2, 2025.

Practitioner Su speaks:

"Zhang Shaoyi, you were a victim of the fire at Wang Fuk Court, 3821 Tai Po Road, Tai Po, Hong Kong. Can you describe how the fire started? You lost your life that day. You are now in the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. With the compassion of the Buddha, I invite you to recount the events of that disaster exactly as they happened, so that your family may come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to communicate with you. I respectfully invite Zhang Shaoyi of the Western Dharma-Nature Land to speak."

Zhang Shaoyi speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Zhang Shaoyi. Even now, thinking back to the day of the fire makes me feel terrified and my heart tremble. I had often wondered how I might one day leave this world, but I never, ever imagined it would be in such a tragic way. It happened so suddenly; it truly left me in a state of shock. It was only after arriving in the Dharma-Nature Land a few days later that my heart slowly began to calm, and I finally accepted the reality that my physical body had been consumed by the flames. My spirit could no longer enter that body; I could only stand beside it and weep. It was so painful, so incredibly painful. I truly never expected my life to end because of such a sudden, raging fire.

The Unfolding Nightmare

That morning, I woke up at my usual time. I felt nothing out of the ordinary and assumed I would pass the day in peace. Who could have known that by the afternoon, such a disaster would strike? The air began to fill with a tense atmosphere, and a strange, unpleasant odour drifted in from outside. At first, I didn't pay it much mind, thinking perhaps a neighbour had accidentally burnt their food. I kept my head down, continuing with my own tasks. But then, I started to think that something wasn't right. Why was it so noisy outside? There were rustling, chaotic sounds—it didn't seem as simple as burnt food.

I stood up and walked toward the front door. Heavens! There were small flames appearing inside the house. This was a disaster! The closer I got to the door, the larger the fire became, and the temperature soared. What on earth was happening outside? Where had the fire started? I stood there, frozen, unable to move. My entire being was stunned; my mind couldn't even think. It took several minutes for me to regain my senses and prepare to flee the scene. I tried to gather a few important things, but in those few short minutes, the fire had grown even more ferocious. I gathered my courage and opened the door, but—wow—the flames were so massive, where could I possibly run? There was nowhere to go. What was I supposed to do now? I didn't want to die! I hurriedly grabbed my phone to call for help, but it seemed there was no signal. My mind went completely blank. I didn't know what to do. Was I just to sit and wait for death? Was I to do nothing until the fire spread to where I stood and I perished in agony? No, no, I didn't want to die like this! I still had so many things left to do, so many dreams I hadn't yet fulfilled. I couldn't let my life end this way. I kept searching for anything I could do.

Trapped in a Sea of Flames

The windows in my home had been almost entirely sealed shut due to maintenance work, and the only exit—the front door—was blocked by the raging fire. I had no way to escape on my own strength; I could only wait for someone outside to rescue me. My heart was still pounding, 'thump, thump, thump,' but every second spent inside that house felt like a year. Every moment was an ordeal. I desperately wished I had wings so I could burst through the window, fly out, pass through the entire fire, and escape this place that I had known since I was a child.

I truly never imagined that this sanctuary would turn into a sea of fire and become the place of my demise. The ruthless flames burned into my room. Helpless, I wailed in agony on the floor, hoping for a miracle, but there was no response from anywhere. This must be what it feels like to 'call to the heavens and receive no answer, to call to the earth and receive no response.' I could only faintly hear the sound of pillars collapsing and the cries for help from my neighbours.

The Final Transition

The fire finally reached me. I began to let out piercing screams, rolling on the ground in pain, trying to extinguish the flames on my body, but it seemed to have no effect at all. One spot would go out, and another would ignite. The speed at which the fire was extinguished could not keep up with the speed at which it was burning. I cried out to the heavens, begging my ancestors or the deities to help me, but there was still no movement around me. The ruthless fire simply engulfed me. My voice grew weaker and weaker until I could no longer make a sound. I stopped struggling. I became a charred corpse. At that moment, I no longer felt pain; I had no sensation. I became a spirit drifting in space.

I looked at my body lying on the ground and finally understood that it was merely a shell—just a piece of worn-out clothing. I realised that in life, everything is false; nothing is real. Everything I had experienced was nothing left—all of it. Whether it was happy times or sad times, it was all an illusion. After the human body dies, everything becomes worthless. No one will remember.

The Golden Light of Deliverance

I began to look around. I realised I was not the only spirit here. The space was infinitely layered, and there were so many, many spirits here as well. This was something I, who once possessed a human body, had not known. It was only after losing my physical form that I understood they had always been there; we were simply in different spaces. Suddenly, a golden light appeared. The compassionate radiance shone across the entire fire scene. Many, many spirits began to move toward it. I vaguely saw a Great Buddha standing in front, leading us, waiting for us to go home. I hurriedly sped up and flew toward the golden light. Wow, what a bright world! It is so tranquil here. My once anxious and uneasy heart slowly calmed down. Just like that, I was placed upon a lotus seat.

At first, I was a bit nervous, but after listening to Practitioner Su give Dharma talks here, my heart gradually opened up. I no longer hold attachments to the past. I now know that the Buddha’s teachings are so wonderful and so vast. I want to tell my family that I am doing very well now. Every day in the Dharma-Nature Land, I listen to the teachings very happily. Namo Amituofo truly resides at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. It was Namo Amituofo who saved us, this group of people who lost our lives in the fire. We did not die; we only lost our bodies. I hope they no longer feel sad for me. I also hope that when they have time, they can listen to the Dharma talks given by Practitioner Su. Do not hold onto this body anymore, and do not rush about for the sake of fame and wealth in the world. None of this can be taken with you. Only by constantly elevating one's spirit is it real. I look forward to seeing you all in the Western Pure Land in the future. Namo Amituofo."

Zhang Shaoyi

The Chief Writer asks:

"May I ask, Zhang Shaoyi, are your parents still alive?"

Zhang Shaoyi speaks:

"They should still be alive, but we have not been in contact for a very long time. I left home in a fit of anger. I wanted to succeed in my career and return in glory, to make my friends and family look at me with new eyes, to make their jaws drop. I wanted them to see that the little troublemaker who used to cause chaos everywhere had actually become a successful entrepreneur. But I never expected that before I could realise this dream, I would lose my life in a fire. Yet, it is because of these Causal Conditions that I am able to accept this interview at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. I hope this gives them a chance to see this interview transcript."

Namo Amituofo.