Interview with Chen Chun-an (Godfather of Western Spirits in Taiwan, Founder of "Oak Cask" Wine)

A Message from Chen Chun-an to My Wife, Daughter, All My Business Partners and Colleagues, and All My Dear Friends

Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo.

My name is Chen Chun-an. Please do not doubt it; I am indeed the same Chen Chun-an who spent most of his life researching Western spirits, the founder of what everyone knows as the "Oak Cask" wine company.

I have been away from the human world for some time now. I wonder how those who knew me are doing? Whether it was drinking, playing golf, or any of my various hobbies, I made many friends. Are you doing well in the human world? I also wonder how my wife and daughter are getting on.

To be honest, if I wish to see you from here, I can see you very clearly. Let me tell you plainly: I have now arrived at the Western Land of Dharma Nature at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia.

Although I have passed away, the Western Land of Dharma Nature is a spiritual world that can accommodate us spiritual beings. It is only through the great compassion of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su that we beings have a place to go. We are living very beautifully in the Western Land of Dharma Nature.

If you know of Namo Amituofo and the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, you should know that the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is a Buddha-land, and the Western Land of Dharma Nature is also a Buddha-land; it is simply a transit station leading to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I also wish to make a vow to go to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss in the future; it is only a matter of time.

I am currently in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, a Buddha-land established by Practitioner Su from the human world. Practitioner Su is in Australia and is 83 years old this year. He already realised his true nature and attained Buddhahood 30 years ago while in Taiwan. As a Buddha-body, he has the ability to establish such a Buddha-land, though this is also with the help of Namo Amituofo. Because there is a Buddha or Bodhisattva residing here in the human world—and he is one of our own from Taiwan—he has the courage to lead everyone and allow Namo Amituofo to descend to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia to reside. This is the fact of my being saved through Chao Du here in the Western Land of Dharma Nature today.

This might sound confusing to you at first, but that is alright. You surely think I have lost my mind, but I am not confused. My spirit, Chen Chun-an, is now very clear. I am purified by Buddha-light every day in the Buddha-land; how could my spirit not be clear? It is much clearer than yours.

As it turns out, while you possess this human body—just as I once did—you are being controlled to the point of exhaustion and are unable to be your own master. But now, because I no longer have this human body, I can watch over you in the Buddha-land with ease and without any afflictions.

Let me tell you honestly: I once descended into the hells, and that was a very painful experience. If you wish to see more details, you can read on; my interview transcript is below.

However, I still want to tell my family and everyone who knew me: I am safe! I have arrived in such a beautiful, pure, and bright world, so the first thing I wanted to do was share this good news with you. Now that I have shared it, my heart feels much more at ease.

As for the story that follows, please read it carefully. I am waiting for you in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, and I hope you will find me at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia one day soon. In this place, you can even communicate with me through the Venerables of the temple. I will convey my words to them through a heart-to-heart spiritual connection, and they will write them down so that you can see that my true spirit is right here!

Interviewed in the Western Land of Dharma Nature

Chen Chun-an, the Godfather of Western Spirits in Taiwan and Founder of "Oak Cask" Wine (Taiwan's largest importer and retail chain for Western spirits)

Interview Chief Writer: Fa Ning

June 22, 2026

Chen Chun-an:

Namo Amituofo, my name is Chen Chun-an. Everyone in Taiwan who drinks should know "Oak Cask" wine. When "Oak Cask" is mentioned, you might not immediately think of my name, but today I tell you that I am its founder. In Taiwan, people kindly called me the "Godfather of Western Spirits." Haha, that name sounds quite stylish!

Honestly, Western spirits and wine tasting were among my hobbies. This is why, after the middle stages of my business, I devoted myself wholeheartedly to the sales, tasting, and various affairs of Western spirits, without involving myself in other industries, because to me, focusing on the wine business was very important. Seeing our business flourish brought me great joy. I went step-by-step from a junior salesperson to eventually possessing such a vast commercial empire; I could be considered a wealthy man. At the time, I was quite smug about this.

Now, as I kneel before Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, I no longer have that sense of pride. I truly know that in reaching this point, I did many things that were not in accordance with the Dharma, and I need to explain this to everyone properly. The path of life is indeed like this; I never studied Buddhist education, and like most people, I lived according to my own interests and the various sensations of the body. I am a typical example of this. I had many hobbies throughout my life; I was naturally active, warm and hospitable, and liked to make many friends and mingle with everyone—this was my personality.

Now, under the seat of Namo Amituofo, I have become very serene and peaceful. Apart from reciting "Namo Amituofo," I do not seem to want to say more or do more. Only after my heart became truly calm did I realise that everything I liked before was just what Practitioner Su calls "tending to the body"! It was living for this physical frame, pursuing everything to the maximum. This had a significant influence not only on myself and my family but also on many people throughout Taiwan.

Regarding the matter of drinking, especially Western spirits like beer and whisky, it was not as common in Taiwan when I first started as it is now. However, I introduced many well-known spirits and wines. These drinks stirred joy and desire in the hearts of many who had never encountered fine wines, making them want to learn more and taste better liquor. This was the trend I led. I now know this is not good; I did not know it at the time, thinking that as long as I advised everyone not to drive after drinking, it was enough.

Beyond not driving after drinking, many people actually create much karma while drinking because they overindulge and lack self-control, yet they do not realise it. Although I had self-control, I could not guarantee that everyone who drank our products could maintain the same self-control as I did! Therefore, under the Collective Karma, everyone indeed created quite a bit of karma. This is also why I later had to suffer retribution in hell. This is very sad to talk about. My family and friends who knew me, I wonder if you can understand my feelings at this moment? I was very painful and helpless in hell, not knowing what great sins I had committed to fall into hell.

But at the time, I vaguely felt that it all had to do with alcohol. Because the word "wine" can be a term of praise or a term of disparagement since ancient times. If people use it well, in small amounts for personal use, without abusing it or overindulging, it can bring a little benefit to health, especially in the case of red wine. But if people drink in large quantities and use it at inappropriate times, leading to a deterioration of their character due to excessive drinking, then the karma created in that moment is very great.

Of course, alcohol itself is not a necessity; it is not something everyone must have to live a good life. It is a luxury, a consumable, and it is only needed because people have this desire in their hearts, which easily becomes a part of creating karma. Especially when I was expanding my business, I was thinking every moment about how to earn more and consolidate my position in the Western spirits industry in Taiwan. So, I expanded from one store to two, then three, and soon extended the sales map of "Oak Cask" wine all over Taiwan.

I also once wanted to enter the mainland Chinese market, but it did not succeed. Looking back, that was a good thing; if everything had gone so smoothly for me, wouldn't the sins I created have been even greater? This is perhaps the arrangement of all Causal Conditions.

Let me tell you, the main good news I want to share with everyone today is that I have arrived at this Buddha-land, called the Western Land of Dharma Nature. You may have heard of Namo Amituofo and the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, but you may not have heard of the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This is also a world of the Buddha, led by Practitioner Su from Taiwan. The public respectfully addresses him as Practitioner Su. After he realised his true nature and attained Buddhahood, he had the same vow as Namo Amituofo: to save all suffering beings. Therefore, with the help of Namo Amituofo, he established this Buddha-land—the Western Land of Dharma Nature.

I am speaking to you from this Buddha-land now. It is magical, isn't it? You might not have expected such a magical thing to happen. The reason I was able to come to the Western Land of Dharma Nature is because of this Causal Condition; recently, Practitioner Su has been actively performing Chao Du for the whole world, including wealthy people and prominent figures who have just left the human world in Taiwan, hoping to use their influence to let people around the world know about the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia and the true help and benefits that Buddhist education brings.

Therefore, I was very fortunate to be named, and I am here today to give you a report. I have truly awakened now, and only then did I realise that everything I managed for this body was so illusory. Apart from leaving behind a mountain of karma that followed me, I did not gain anything else. This is the true reflection of life.

I just said that my whole life was lived for this body, right? Besides alcohol, I also loved golf and the accordion. These hobbies accompanied me for most of my life, especially golf; I played golf for a full fifty-some years!

Life was lived so comfortably, making many friends everywhere. Many who knew me felt very sorry and surprised by my departure, not expecting that I, who had always been in robust health, would suddenly collapse and leave everyone.

It is indeed so. I did not expect that my health would deteriorate rapidly in a short time, and I would leave the human world. At the time, I felt very regretful and unwilling. Now that I have arrived in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I sincerely feel gratitude for the arrangement of all these Causal Conditions, allowing me to leave hell at this moment and then be guided by Practitioner Su to the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This is truly wonderful. I am very moved, and I know that all of this is the compassion of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. The fact that "Namo Amituofo resides at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia" is also because Practitioner Su attained Buddhahood, which moved the Buddha to come to Earth to reside.

Such a good thing actually happened to me, Chen Chun-an! I did not understand the Buddha's teachings before and lived only for my own enjoyment, but now I can receive true Buddhist education, giving me a new life. I think that with the very proactive attitude I had in my business, I will surely apply this mindset to the propagation of the Buddha's teachings; this is a very important matter at present.

When I was running my business, I had an unyielding heart; when things were not going well, I would immediately change direction to achieve the best results and goals. Thinking about all these things, this was one of the reasons I went to hell. Thinking only for oneself is not in accordance with the Dharma; this is what I learned here. Only by truly thinking for others and considering the beings is it in accordance with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way.

This is also the key point that the people at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia are actively striving to break through: as long as one acts for others rather than for oneself, one can become a Buddha. It is truly so. Everyone wants to become a Buddha, but everyone still has not let go of this body. This is the true reflection of life; I did not understand this principle at the time. If someone had asked me when I was in my human body whether I was willing to let go of all this to study the Buddha's teachings, I think I would have been willing. This is the message I am sending now from the perspective of the spiritual realms.

I do not know if there were many beings and karmic creditors interfering within the body of Chen Chun-an, making me unable to receive all these teachings; that is also possible.

Now, looking back at everything in the human world, I know that no one can be their own master. Everyone is being controlled by their own karmic creditors or demon crowds. Some are controlled to a greater extent, and some are controlled in a small part. But regardless, as long as a person has not realised their true nature and attained Buddhahood, they are truly only being controlled by beings.

Now that I have arrived in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, besides being able to see many things from the past very clearly, I can also thoroughly let go of my past burdens and let go of the many sensations of my body. Of course, I no longer have this body, so naturally, I do not have the many sensations of the body. Looking back at the past, those various dust-stains of life are gradually being cast off, along with more and more attachments, here in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, under the purification of the Buddha-light.

I am no longer the Chen Chun-an that everyone liked to be close to, but I am still the Chen Chun-an who can share heartfelt words with you all. It is just that now, having changed my identity and moved to a different place, I understand more clearly everything in the human world: what is false and what is true; what should be done and what must not be done. In short, one must not do things that harm others, and one should only do things that help others.

At the time, I established this liquor business with a heart that wanted to help everyone, but I did not expect that I would end up harming many people in the process. These various incidents are clearly recorded in my book of laws of karma and cause and effect, so I could not avoid suffer retribution in hell.

Today, my daughter has officially inherited my business, leading everyone and the staff in my Oak Barrel wine business to continue developing and gaining favour with more people. For an established brand like mine, there are many regular customers, and those who frequent the place are always the same few.

My customers, I hope you can also listen clearly to these words of mine. Regardless of your reasons for buying alcohol, whether you have created sins, or whether you have developed greed due to excessive drinking, I hope that after reading this letter, you can be alerted.

Now that I have changed my identity and am speaking to you from the world of spirits, I have come to realise how profound the world of spirits is. With the help of Namo Amituofo, Practitioner Su can perform Chao Du for immeasurable and boundless beings, including the overlapping spiritual beings in space, which people commonly call ghosts. I have finally seen these ghosts and understand them now. I know that after people die, most of them, besides going to the hells to suffer retribution, are also very likely to become helpless ghosts; this is a very common occurrence.

If people in the world cling tightly to the sensations and desires of this human body, they will either go to the hells or become wandering spirits. Because clinging to this human body means that the spirit cannot be elevated and is still living for the sake of one's own body; therefore, due to spiritual pollution, one will still be pulled into even more painful spaces to continue suffering. This is a very common phenomenon in the human world. I, Chen Chun-an, have only come to know all of this after arriving at the hells to suffer retribution.

To be honest, the time I spent in the hells was truly painful. Although the time was not very long, because one is constantly suffering extreme torture in the hells without a moment of respite, those there have no room to struggle or opportunity to appeal; they can only continuously repeat the process of pain and death.

The hell I was in is called the Throat-Pouring Hell, where it felt as if a massive flame was being poured into my throat, causing my throat to burn in extreme pain. This is also because I previously sold alcohol, causing many people to create karma after drinking these strong spirits. Whether it was harming people or the very common sin of sexual misconduct, these karmic forces, along with my own Collective Karma, caused many beings to seek revenge on me at that time, which is why I suddenly left the human world in my later years.

I did not die after a long illness, but the pain at that time made me understand the impermanence of life and know that people in the human world cannot escape birth, aging, sickness, death.

Only by recognising Buddhist education can one achieve the sublimation of the spirit and learn the education that can truly bring everyone to not grow old, not get sick, and the spirit does not die. I am very certain of this. At the moment I was saved by Practitioner Su, I saw a beam of light in the hells, calling my name, and I entered into this light.

Regarding what I mentioned earlier about people doing improper things after drinking, I remembered that this term is called losing one's senses after drinking. This is a very common thing. In Taiwan, one sometimes sees people driving under the influence, because drunk driving not only harms one's own life but also takes the lives of others. Through these reports, the general public has come to recognise the negative effects of drinking, and related issues have been widely promoted, making people stay alert at all times, knowing the principle that one must not drive after drinking.

However, many people do not know that after drinking, it is very easy to stimulate the desires that already exist in everyone's heart. This desire is magnified, leading everyone to indulge in it and create karma. For example, the sexual misconduct mentioned earlier; many people, before they are adults or married, have very intimate relationships with their partners. After drinking, these desires they already possessed are further encouraged. Desires that they originally dared not unleash are emboldened by alcohol, leading them to commit many sins that should not have been committed in a state of confusion. When everyone engages in these acts of lust and sexual desire, they are often without reason, just driven by desire. Drinking is precisely the catalyst that fuels these desires in people's hearts, covering their hearts with a layer of dust, making them unable to be the master, and allowing more beings to control them to commit sins.

Adults are the same. Many married men and women, when spending time with friends of the opposite sex who are not their partners, drink large amounts of alcohol, leading them to lose their reason and commit some improper, sexual misconduct. These sins are one of the factors that push them into the abyss of the hells. Many people do not know that there are actually many people in the hells suffering because of sexual misconduct. In the Iron Bed Hell and the Copper Pillar Hell, there are many beings suffering there. A portion of them are indeed there because excessive drinking led them to commit these mistakes.

Speaking of this, I am very sad. I thought the business I operated before was a very normal one, thinking that alcohol could add a bit of warmth to people's social interactions and believing it was a good thing. I did not expect that the business I operated would harm so many people, especially young children, who made mistakes when they were ignorant, ruining their lives.

How can I ever bear the weight of the laws of karma and cause and effect for these things? Looking back on all this now, repenting is of no use. The most important thing is the present moment: how to help today's children recognise the true Buddhist education. This is what all Buddhas are constantly advocating today, which is to encourage those of us who are wealthy and corporate groups to invest heavily in the cause of Buddhist education for children.

Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is determined to help children all over the world recognise the Buddhist education, allowing them to be free from social pollution from a young age, directly entering the Buddha’s gate, and practising in a pure environment, thereby attaining the state of an awakened being and becoming a Buddha. This matter is very important because if there is no one in the world who has truly practised and become a Buddha, Namo Amituofo will not remain in the world, and thus there will be no way to save more beings, and everyone will only continue to suffer in reincarnation. If someone in the world makes an Ultimate Vow, standing up like Practitioner Su, truly living for all beings, reciting Namo Amituofo to the end, without any physical sensations, one can achieve not grow old, not get sick, and the spirit does not die, thereby helping many beings leaving suffering and gaining happiness.

This is a very important matter, and it is also the truth that I, Chen Chun-an, have come to understand clearly after truly understanding Buddhist education. It turns out that children's education must be based on Buddhist education so that everyone will not deviate from the righteous path.

I hope that I can put everything I have said today into action. Although I no longer have a body in the human world, the wine business I operated still exists, and my family is still working hard for the business. Many of my friends are still living for this body; they are all wealthy and live carefree lives, but their spiritual growth is equal to zero. They only live for this body, have created much karma, and will have to suffer retribution in the future. I hope that everyone who knows me will not take this path, and I also hope that this letter can reach their hands so that they can recognise the real Chen Chun-an. Now that I have spoken to them in a spiritual way, I have truly understood the value of Buddhist education and have arrived at the Western Land of Dharma Nature, a safe, pure, and bright Buddha-land, and I no longer continue to suffer in the hells. This matter must be told to them so that they can take it as a warning.

I have always been very loyal among my friends, and everyone understands and agrees with what I say. When operating the business, I relied on my eloquence for marketing, and the wine always sold very well. Many customers were willing to buy my wine after listening to my explanation. I would like to use this eloquence now to promote Buddhist education, telling everyone in Taiwan who knows me, Chen Chun-an, that I hope one day you can wake up, put down everything in your hands, and spend some time to recognise the true Buddhist education. Here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, because someone has realised their true nature and attained Buddhahood, they can convey the true education to everyone. This is the education that truly comes from Namo Amituofo.

In this human world, no temple can do this. Namo Amituofo truly abides at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is because of the vow of Practitioner Su, which has moved the Buddha to truly abide here. Other temples have not seen anyone with such high ability, great vows, and a heart of compassion, so the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will not help them in other places.

Every week, Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre holds the Zhongfeng Thrice Yearning Ceremonies for three days. During the Dharma assembly, the chief writer of the temple will receive the teachings of Namo Amituofo and Teacher Xia Lianju, integrating many precious Dharma words, as well as messages from other deceased family members and lay practitioners, all of which are circulated on the temple's website. You might as well search for the library of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia online. There are tens of thousands of articles in the library, more than half of which come from the teachings of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and the other half are interview transcripts from the spiritual realms, just like the temple is interviewing me now. This is very rare and precious. Please be sure to seize the time when the Buddha is in the world, do your best to exert yourself, recognise the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, and only then will you be able to help all beings.

These are my sincere words from the bottom of my heart, and I hope they can be passed on to all those connected by karmic affinity. If everyone can recognise the Buddha, you can avoid taking many wrong paths, and you will not need to get sick in your old age, because the Buddha is the Great Physician. As long as you change your personality traits, have no karmic creditors in your body causing you to get sick, and have no interference from demon crowds causing your organs to fail, then you can still live healthily until the end of your life. Just like Practitioner Su, you can freely travel to and from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, or like other patriarchs and venerable masters, know the time of your death in advance and leave the human world to be reborn in the Western Pure Land. This matter must be spread, so that everyone in the treasure island of Taiwan knows this Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, and everyone can help the next generation of children, and further help immeasurable and boundless beings.

This matter has moved me, Chen Chun-an, very much. I spent my whole life living only for this conceited body, not knowing that there are people in the human world who truly live for all beings and possess such high achievements to help all beings leaving suffering and gaining happiness. I am deeply moved and deeply grateful in my heart, grateful for the arrangement of all these Causal Conditions, which now allow me to say a few words to everyone. I hope these words can reach everyone's ears and be widely spread. This is a very important matter.

Finally, I carry a heart of sincere gratitude, grateful for the teachings of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. Disciple Chen Chun-an will definitely work hard to contribute to Buddhist education.

I hope that after my family sees my message, they can help me accomplish this, which is to come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia to communicate with me, and further help the temple establish the headquarters of the Pure Land School, as well as invest the resources and property owned by our family. Everyone will definitely be able to do these things.

Thank you all, Namo Amituofo.

Namo Amituofo

Chen Chun-an