A Mother's Final Farewell from the Flames

This is a record of an interview with Lu Zhaowei, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon her passing during the massive fire at Wang Fuk Court in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on December 2, 2025.

Practitioner Su speaks:

"Lu Zhaowei, you were a victim of the fire at 3821 Tai Po Road, Yuen Chau Tsai, Hong Kong. You were there at the Wang Fuk Court when the tragedy unfolded, and you lost your life in the flames. You are now residing in the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. By the compassion of the Buddha, I invite you, Lu Zhaowei, to recount the events of that day exactly as they happened. We have invited your family to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to communicate with you. I respectfully invite Lu Zhaowei of the Western Dharma-Nature Land to speak."

Lu Zhaowei speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Lu Zhaowei. I was a young mother, and I had a two-year-old child. My little one, still in the cradle, had not yet truly experienced the depth of a mother's love before I was taken away, losing forever the chance to watch him grow. When I think of this, my heart still weeps. My child, I am so sorry. I tried my best to survive, but as the saying goes, 'Man proposes, God disposes.' I had to say goodbye to you far too early. In your next life, do not be my child again. I have arrived at a wonderful place, and I will explain it to you slowly so that you will know where to find me when the time comes."

The Day the World Changed

"When the fire broke out, I was home alone preparing dinner for my husband and our child. Although he was small, I had already started sending him to daycare to help him adapt and grow alongside children his own age. It was a difficult decision to have him away from me so early, but I believed in his ability to develop independence. The evenings were our time—the three of us reunited as a family. That was a consensus we had reached in our household.

While I was cooking dinner, I began to smell something strange. At first, I thought it was just a leak from the gas stove, but the scent was too thick, too pungent—it was not a smell that belonged in a home. I opened the door to check, and I was met with a wall of thick, black smoke that filled the entire floor. It was so dense that I could not even see my own hand in front of my face. I knew that the front door was the only way out, and staying inside meant certain death. I gathered my courage, grabbed a wet handkerchief to cover my nose, and ran. There was no time to think of anything else. We lived on a high floor, and the stairs were not easy to reach, but I had to try with everything I had."

A Mother's Desperate Prayer

"As I reached the stairwell, I saw the flames beginning to spread. They were not yet massive, so I thought, 'If I just sprint, if I run as fast as I can, I might make it.' I was quite athletic, and I could run faster than my husband. I kept running, but then a sharp, searing pain shot through my feet. The fire had caught the hem of my trousers and was climbing up my legs. I gritted my teeth and kept going. I told myself that if I could just reach the safety of the ground floor, I would have a chance.

But, to my horror, the lower the floor, the more ferocious the fire became. I could no longer hold it back, and there was no turning back. I could hear people around me calling out, screaming, and weeping, but the smoke was so thick that I could not see who they were or if they knew a way to safety. In my heart, I prayed, 'Please, Heaven, let me live a little longer. No matter what, let me stay until my child is grown and independent. Let me leave after that, please? I still want to pick him up and take him home. Even if the house is gone, as long as our family is together, anywhere can be a home!'"

The Golden Light of Deliverance

"That prayer did not last long. Soon, a wave of dizziness washed over me. My head was spinning, and pain and heat flooded every corner of my body. I knew my time was up. I began to pray only for your safety, my child. I prayed that even without a mother, you would grow up healthy and happy. I dared not ask for anything more. And just like that, I was gone. I left my two-year-old child and my young husband behind to face the world together. I even hoped that you would have a stepmother—I would not mind if your father remarried, as long as she was a kind person, a good mother. After all, you are so small; growing up without a mother's love is never easy.

After I passed, my spirit seemed to feel a slight sense of relief. There were things I could not let go of, but my soul began to realise that everything was irreversible, and I began to rationally accept the truth. My spirit stayed at the scene of the fire for a long time. Every time I saw a child or a baby, I sincerely prayed that they would be safe, that their parents would escape the fire, and that families would be reunited rather than torn apart. My heart has always been kind; everyone who knew me in life knew that I was a good and loving mother."

A New Spiritual Path

"I do not know how long I kept watch, but I knew my time there was limited. I knew there was a destination waiting for me, though I did not know where. My intuition told me it would be a good place, and perhaps I could even continue to watch over you from there. Or perhaps I would eventually let go of that craving, because one must always move forward. I am sorry that I no longer have a human body, but deep in my soul, I know I must keep walking, for life is ultimately short and impermanent.

Then, I saw the light. It was a vast, brilliant light—shimmering golden light. I believed this was the light leading to a good place because the warm magnetic field it emitted made me want to draw near. I was naturally attracted to it, without a single moment of hesitation or doubt. Seeing other spirits around me moving quickly toward the light, I felt happy, for I knew many were being saved. It was a feeling of comfort, a sense of relief. I had settled my heart regarding you, sent out my prayers for your goodness, and gathered the courage to leave that sea of fire. I wanted to head toward a place of goodness, whether or not I could provide you with guidance or reference. That was no longer important, because I understood that our karmic connection, while it seemed to have ended imperfectly, was just a part of life's impermanence. The length of our time together does not define everything; what matters is that we all move toward a better, clearer future, knowing how to walk the path ahead.

I rode the clouds and began a new spiritual life in a world of brilliance. It is the Buddha! Although I did not have a specific religious faith, I respected the Buddha in my heart. I knew the Buddha is a teacher for humanity, a direction of goodness and virtue that leads people toward the light. Namo Amituofo is the King of Buddhas; He is my great teacher now, and the magnificent Buddha who saved me and all the spirits from the Wang Fuk Court fire. I hope that one day you will come to know Namo Amituofo. Because the Buddha is actually always by our side. As long as you believe and are willing to chant this name, 'Namo Amituofo,' then my child, you too are a 'Buddha baby.' Your mother is with the Buddha now. You must grow up happily, and no matter where you go, keep the Buddha in your heart. When you remember, chant the Buddha's name; it will be of great help to you."

A Future of Light

"Although I still occasionally shed tears of longing, I am a kind, rational, and clear-headed person. I will not be sad for long, because I see Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su—the same Practitioner Su who is here at the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, along with another awakened being. Both Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su are dedicated to the work of saving people, so I am very relieved and at peace following them. I have found the direction of my life—or rather, the direction of my spiritual life. This is the most special place in the world, the only bridge in this world that leads to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

My future is very bright, and I pray that you and your father will also come to know Namo Amituofo and the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. I hope you can step onto this land, come to find the Buddha, and come to find me. I am also trying not to bind you too tightly to my heart, because the work of saving others is urgent. I love saving people, and I want to join the salvation team of Namo Amituofo.

My child, you are my pride. Remember that your mother is following the Buddha. You must do the same; grow up well and be a good person. One day, you too will come to know the Buddha.

Well, I must go now. We will meet again when the karmic conditions are right.

Namo Amituofo.

Lu Zhaowei"