Interview with Xi Zhongxun (Former Vice Premier of the State Council of China, Father of Chinese President Xi Jinping)

Interview in the Western Land of Dharma Nature

Former Vice Premier of the State Council of China, Father of Xi Jinping: Xi Zhongxun

Synopsis: The life of Xi Zhongxun spanned the major historical turning points of the Communist revolution and modern China. In his youth, he participated in establishing the Shaanxi-Gansu revolutionary base, providing a crucial foothold for the Red Army after the Long March. In his middle years, he was unjustly persecuted for sixteen years during political storms, yet he always maintained an enlightened, gentle, and pragmatic belief. After returning to power in Guangdong following the Cultural Revolution, he dared to be a pioneer, boldly breaking new ground, and single-handedly fostered special economic zones like Shenzhen, laying the key foundation for China's reform and opening up. With his humanistic and pragmatic style, he profoundly influenced the historical trajectory of modern China.

Interview Chief Writer: Fa Ning

July 27, 2026

Xi Zhongxun:

Namo Amituofo, my name is Xi Zhongxun. You should not be unfamiliar with my name, right? Nowadays, whether in China or abroad, if you have a deep impression of Xi Jinping, you might also know a thing or two about his father.

That is correct; I am Xi Zhongxun, the father of the current Chinese national leader, Xi Jinping.

I have left the human world for over twenty years, having lived to the ripe old age of eighty-eight. I experienced great ups and downs in my life and felt that my achievements were quite significant. However, I did not expect that the final outcome of my life, like all Chinese leaders, was to fall into the hells—and not just one, but several. These are collectively known as the Avici Hell, and that is indeed the case.

Today, if I had not encountered the Buddha’s teachings, and had not been guided by the great compassion of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, how long would I, Xi Zhongxun, have suffered in the hells? It would be immeasurable and boundless.

Most of our Chinese leaders are the same; a single deviation in thought, a single selfish desire, or a single act not in accordance with the Dharma can create immense laws of karma and cause and effect. At that time, our power was at its zenith, and each of us held absolute authority in our respective domains. At different times, in different places, and in different regions, the influence we exerted in various fields—whether on the people of that time or on those of today—was profound. Whether it was the impact on people's Body-Mind-Spirit, it was indeed significant.

As the Vice Premier of the State Council at the time, I was a capable assistant to Premier Zhou Enlai. My status was already very high, and the scope of my decision-making power and influence was vast. Of course, this was only one part of my career; you may not be fully aware of my political achievements at the time.

However, regarding my later years, I resided in the Guangdong area for a long time. Under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping, I gave my all to the economic development of Guangdong and the country's reform and opening up. This is what I am most proud of in my later years.

I have truly experienced the great ups and downs of life. No matter how bitter or exhausting it was, for the sake of the country and the Party, I never had any complaints. I believed that the country and the Party were supreme existences. Therefore, whether in raising my children or in my own actions, I always prioritised the country and the Party, and I sincerely hoped that the people would live good lives. But under this premise, I believed at the time that the Party and the country must truly become strong so that the people would have food to eat and work to do. This was what our generation firmly believed in.

I have encountered the Buddha’s teachings today. True Buddha’s teachings can be seen at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia today. Here, Namo Amituofo is residing here, and there is a person named Practitioner Su who has attained Buddhahood in the human world and has helped immeasurable and boundless beings. As for what it means to attain Buddhahood, I think the general public may not truly understand, because people do not know the truth that everyone can become a Buddha.

But I see it now; I know that everyone has Buddha-nature and everyone can become a Buddha. Moreover, after becoming a Buddha, one can live a life in the spiritual realm that is completely different from the human world. This spiritual realm is where one can truly exert one's power as a Buddha to help many beings, whether in the human world or the spiritual realms, to attain liberation, so they no longer have to suffer the pain of the six realms of rebirth or go through the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death.

This is what all Buddha or Bodhisattva are actively doing, and now, someone in the human world has actually attained Buddhahood and is using the skills of saving the world to perform such deeds—this truly shocked me! What shocked me even more is that Practitioner Su has not only helped vast, immeasurable, and boundless beings from the Chinese spiritual realms to have the opportunity for Chao Du, allowing them to escape their respective eras and spaces in China to attain liberation and be reborn in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, but the ways in which Practitioner Su helps spiritual and human beings are truly varied and very special.

For my son, Xi Jinping, Practitioner Su has been trying for many years to help his spirit, thereby helping him to correct himself according to the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way mentioned in the Buddha’s teachings. This is because only by following the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way can one lead the country toward true stability and peace, truly giving people a sense of belonging in their Body-Mind-Spirit, and allowing them to reach a state where they do not grow old, do not get sick, and the spirit does not die. This is what Practitioner Su has always wanted to do; Practitioner Su wants to save the Chinese people, and we are all very moved.

Watching these scenes here truly shocks me. As one of the main leaders of China in the past, this was something I could never have believed, and it was everything we strongly rejected at the time.

Back then, as long as we were members of the Communist Party of China, we all swore to take the Party as our core, with no other faith.

Of course, Practitioner Su tells everyone today that Buddhism is not a religion, but an education. However, in China today, people still view the Buddha’s teachings as a religion. From this perspective, the essence and weight of the Buddha’s teachings have been greatly diminished. This leads many Chinese people to believe that the Buddha’s teachings are superstition and a misleading influence, which is the greatest mistake I have ever made.

Although I was not a person who killed enemies on the battlefield in my life, nor did I persecute anyone because of my supreme power, I have always been well-liked by both the children of high-ranking officials and the common people. They have a deep emotional connection with me, and everyone considers me a kind and approachable elder. Yet, I did not expect that, despite having such a decent temperament, I would still end up in the hells.

This is because everything I participated in and supported was actually completely contrary to the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, and I participated in pushing China step by step into a state where there is no religion, no faith, and where the Party is supreme.

In such a situation, some might think that putting the Party first is the only way to consolidate national power and unite people to live good lives. But in reality, the impact caused and the price paid are immense. Especially in the absence of the Buddha’s teachings, how many people have suffered throughout their lives, failing to receive a good education, unable to understand the laws of karma and cause and effect, or the difference between good and evil, and having to pay a painful price for their own lives. I think many Chinese people are like this.

Whether they are seen as good or bad people, in the face of the laws of karma and cause and effect, the distinction between good and bad depends on the heart. This heart is truly important.

We Chinese have always used whether one follows national rules and obeys the instructions of the state and the Party to distinguish whether a person is good or bad, loyal or disloyal, or a traitor to the country. But all of this is measured by the standards of the state. If measured by the true Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, it is a completely different standard. It can be said that everything that meets the state's standard of being a good person or a good Party member often does not truly conform to the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way.

Because when a country or a party makes collective decisions, or sets collective directions, policies, and rules, it is actually a group of leaders together, because of a certain ideology, a certain cultural inheritance, or a certain force, causing everyone to naturally lean toward a certain ideology or policy. This is caused by the collective karma of everyone, and there is also a lot of interference from beings in the spiritual realms or demon crowds.

Take the policy of lacking the Buddha’s teachings nationwide; this is also a policy set by the state regarding religion. When the Party was founded, with the Party as the highest authority of the state, opposing religion was one of the main considerations, wanting to use this to concentrate everyone's loyalty to the Party and not let it be dispersed. All these ideas originated from the Soviet Union at the time, and the central idea was to use so-called civilized and pragmatic ways to face everything seen before one's eyes, rejecting everything that cannot be seen by the physical eyes, and considering all of this as superstition and feudalism, which causes the country to regress. But in fact, there is no contradiction between these two at all!

Why can't there be true Ethics and Morality education while making the country better? Why can't there be education that follows the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, just like the Buddha’s teachings? In the long one or two hundred years from the end of the Qing Dynasty to the reform and opening up, the Chinese people experienced too much internal and external trouble, and no one had true security. We attributed all the factors of national regression or the country becoming more backward than others to feudal superstition, but at the same time, we also listed the Buddha’s teachings, which is a very precious education, into the category of feudal superstition. This is the greatest mistake our generation has made!

It is a pity that people gave up their own faith for the sake of loyalty to the Party, yet this very faith is what can help people elevate their spirits. Loyalty to the Party can only help the country move toward prosperity under the leadership of the Party for a time, but the methods and means used are often not in accordance with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, and all of this cannot truly help people improve the quality of their Body-Mind-Spirit, nor can it help everyone walk toward a state where they do not grow old, do not get sick, and the spirit does not die.

Regarding the matter of loyalty to the Party, looking at it now, I believe that true patriotism should be based on caring for the physical, mental, and spiritual health of the people, rather than how the Party can consolidate power, how it can unite people, or how it can conduct all affairs in the name of the Party. I think all of this still carries a very strong sense of selfishness.

At the time, I did not think so; I believed that everything good for the country, everything loyal to the country, and everything loyal to the Party were completely linked—they were one, not two. If I were to look at the country and the Party with my current perspective, I would have different thoughts.

Even for the country, in fact, to me and to all the beings in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, all of this is illusory. We were all Chinese once, but after coming to the Western Land of Dharma Nature, although we still call ourselves Chinese, more importantly: we are disciples of the Buddha, we are all Buddhas, and we want to become a Buddha. Where is the distinction between Chinese and foreigners? Where is the distinction between parties or factions? None of this exists.

Under the true Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, we actually just see all beings as one with ourselves. There are differences within this oneness because everyone's karma and Causal Conditions are different, and the distinctions will also change a lot in the direction of their many lives. People will go to good places because of goodness, and to bad places because of evil hearts; the direction of all this still depends on this heart.

Therefore, now that I am in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, like all Chinese people, when I break through the distinction of this country or party, my heart is truly much more at ease! We see everyone who comes to the Western Land of Dharma Nature, whether they are demon crowds or other beings from the spiritual realms, and we treat everything with a very welcoming and compassionate attitude. We will not feel particularly happy because this person is Chinese, nor will we feel lonely because this person is a foreigner. Anyway, as long as people enter the Western Land of Dharma Nature, we treat everyone with an equal attitude, and we will actively lead everyone to encourage each other in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, to chant Buddha's name, to perform prostrations, and to truly integrate everything taught by the Buddha or Bodhisattva into one's true self, so that one can improve one's spirit and save more people.

Everyone in the Western Land of Dharma Nature shares a very consistent way of thinking. This is because the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way are inherently as they are. When everyone understands true Buddhist education, knows the importance of purity and Goodness, and knows how to walk the Right Way without bias, selfishness, or self-interest, but rather by considering others—under these true Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, there are no discriminations. Everyone follows the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way together; it is a natural occurrence. Especially here, being constantly purified by the Buddha-light, and with Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su giving lectures with great compassion, guiding everyone and resolving doubts, our hearts are no longer confused. Regarding the six realms of rebirth, and the development of our spirits throughout our many lives, we are perfectly clear. Regarding the high science and high technology spoken of in Buddha’s teachings, we are also perfectly clear. How could there be any confusion or differences? Therefore, in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, after purification, everyone’s thoughts, ideas, perspectives, and directions are exactly the same. That is, everyone strives together to seek the Buddha’s path and save beings, continuing the process of purification, and then more purification, so that one day we may be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, attain Buddhahood there, and save all sentient beings with karmic affinity. This is the heartfelt wish of every being of the Western Land. Thus, it seems that if one hopes for the people of a region or a place to advance with the same mindset and be united, the best method is to follow the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. Because this is the most authentic truth in the universe. When everyone attains true purification through purity and Goodness, and clears away the confusion, ignorance, and afflictions in their hearts, everyone’s heart is actually exactly the same, without discriminations. This is the true view of oneness. The unity built in this way is the only unity that can be maintained for a long time, and it is also the important factor that can truly maintain a nation’s eternal stability without division. Therefore, I advise all people in society today: if any nation hopes to truly unite its people, and have everyone move forward with one heart and one mind on the correct path, then only by following the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way can they find the true path. Taking China as an example, I can speak about this clearly with everyone. In terms of China, after the founding of the new China, the centralized policy of the Chinese Communist Party made many people feel very secure, while making others feel dissatisfied. Because under the centralized policy, it affects generation after generation, causing a great impact on how things are handled and how people act. So-called centralization means that China is a country without any change of political parties, with the Chinese Communist Party as the only party. Any instructions, policies, or directions and goals led by the party are consistent. The party also hopes that the entire nation can achieve a unified goal under the governance of the Communist Party: to become wealthy together, to be peaceful and stable, and to become a world power together. This is what the party considers important, and of course, all of this is also what people hope for in their hearts. But everyone must ask: do all the policies made by the Chinese Communist Party truly conform to the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way? The answer is no. Because before one has realised one's true nature, no one can truly and completely follow the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. This is why people must learn from Buddha or Bodhisattvas. Because Buddha or Bodhisattvas have realised their true nature and attained Buddhahood, they can penetrate all the truths of the universe and thus have the ability to teach everyone the true reality. Since not a single person in the Chinese Communist Party has realised their true nature and attained Buddhahood from beginning to end, nor is anyone learning from any awakened being, how could they possibly know the true Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way? Therefore, any policy, commentary, or direction led by the party is, in many aspects, actually contrary to the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. With this premise, can China unite the hearts of the people in the name of the party and let everyone move towards the direction of becoming wealthy or stable and peaceful? The answer is definitely no. Because without following the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, the hearts of the people are naturally scattered and have various discriminations. Without being able to achieve true unity, it will definitely cause many divergences. These divergences are the reasons that lead to the decline of the nation and the people, and lead to the division of the nation and the people. Yet the Chinese Communist Party uses a centralized approach, hoping to represent everyone with a unified voice, and hoping to condense everyone’s hearts by issuing the same powerful policies. On the surface, this might work, because people all hope that the country can become strong. And since the Chinese Communist Party has been in power, China has indeed stepped towards becoming a world power, step by step, and has ensured the country’s security and various aspects of peace. This is an undeniable fact. However, all of this is only the beauty that everyone can see before their eyes. Can this kind of stability and strength of the country truly continue, and can it step by step solve the problems faced by many marginalized people, as well as solve the big problems that the party has not seen? This is impossible to achieve. Because when the Chinese Communist Party leads the entire nation in a direction that does not follow the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, all of this will sooner or later have a day of dispersal. Here, I am not targeting the party to which I was once very loyal; I believe that any country or any political party in the world is the same. As long as it does not truly conform to the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, there will always be a day of dispersal. Because the human heart always wants to move towards the true Right Way, and if the nation’s leadership is not on the Right Way, the people will inevitably have voices of resistance. And if this voice of resistance is not taken seriously, the pain suppressed in the heart is perhaps even more painful than what can be brought to the table and spoken out. But if everyone looks at it from another perspective, for a vast country like China with diverse ethnicities and cultures, where everyone has different backgrounds, cultures, and customs, how to truly unite everyone’s hearts and let everyone move in the same direction is a question that leaders throughout the ages have been thinking about. In the past, everyone thought that as long as they followed the instructions of the Communist Party, walked in unison with the same voice, did not have a second voice, and completely suppressed other voices, they could make the hearts of the civilians truly united. In order to make the country wealthy in a short period of time and maintain higher social stability, this is what the Chinese government did at that time. All of this has become the past; we do not need to mention it again, and there is no need to carefully criticize the rights and wrongs of that time. It no longer has much meaning; seeking truth from facts is what we should do today. As someone who has spent a long time in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, if you ask me how China should govern the country today? Now the country has embarked on a path of true wealth and strength, ranking among the top two world powers, and also possesses a very important voice internationally. All of this looks so beautiful, but what should be the next step? Which Right Way should it follow? This is the question that everyone should pay close attention to. In my view, this must, of course, use the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way within Buddha’s teachings to bring everyone true Body-Mind-Spirit satisfaction, Body-Mind-Spirit peace and harmony, and achieve unity in Body-Mind-Spirit; this is the good medicine. If one blindly continues to pursue higher goals, only hoping for the country’s development to become stronger and stronger, and for the people to live better and better lives, while ignoring many potential Ethics and Morality problems, and potential problems that violate the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, then our country will be the same as other countries, living an unstable life. The reason why China has been able to stand firm for five thousand years, has not experienced the situation of being divided by other countries, and the country still possesses such a unified territory and such harmoniously coexisting people to this day, indicates that China must have a very excellent culture that conforms to the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, guiding the progress of these thousands of years. In my view, that is the Benevolence, Righteousness, Propriety, Wisdom, and Faith proposed by Confucius and Mencius in Confucianism, as well as various theories regarding governance. Do not underestimate the teachings of Confucius and Mencius; this ideological system has been very useful for people in such a large territory in China for thousands of years. Everyone can achieve social harmony and stability by following the thoughts of Confucius and Mencius. This is why, throughout China’s history, despite thousands of years of various turmoils and wars, and the territory dividing and reuniting, it has always been able to move towards true cultural unity without causing too much division. People can still have a sense of Goodness in their hearts, and the root of this Goodness has not been broken. Among this, the thoughts of Confucius and Mencius have also played a major role. Because the thoughts of Confucius and Mencius completely conform to the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, it is just that Confucius did not know the true Buddha’s teachings at that time, and he could not lead everyone to the most ultimate and perfect realm of ending birth and death and leaving the three realms, so after he left the human world, he stayed in the twenty-eighth heaven. But in terms of the standards for being a human, what Confucius said is flawless. Regarding Buddha’s teachings, why could Buddha’s teachings spread in China, rather than truly developing in India? Why does the Buddha’s teachings of the whole world now have to return to China, a place that has nurtured Buddha’s teachings for thousands of years and contains very important Buddha’s teachings for the human world? That is because in terms of the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, among all the countries in the world, China has had the root of the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way for thousands of years, so Buddha’s teachings could be carried forward here. If this root did not exist, Buddha’s teachings would not be able to be approved and learned by people’s hearts in a way that fits their capacity and the truth. Today, as I speak these words in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I am actually reflecting on all the Good and evil, the right and wrong that I did under the leadership of the party back then. Everyone says I am a good person, and I was also a relatively kind person at that time. Under the centralized rule, I could tolerate all opposing voices with a relatively gentle heart, and I would not retaliate or fight against anyone who opposed or oppressed me. I was sent down to do manual labour during the Cultural Revolution for more than ten years. That unforgettable experience let me know the suffering of the human world, as well as the suffering of people at the grassroots level. I know that the Cultural Revolution caused tremendous pain to a generation, and I also know that all of this was wrong. But based on my position and ability at that time, not only did I not have the right to speak, but I was also labelled as opposing the party, which forced me to accept the party’s instructions and be assigned to do hard labour for more than ten years. All of this did not change my loyalty to the country and the party. At that time, I thought all of this was supreme, and no matter what pain I went through, I would still do my best to maintain the integrity and stability of the country and the party. And the sins caused by my support for the party are immeasurable and boundless; this is the sin caused by our Collective Karma. If I could have used my ability or influence at that time to voice more opposition, continue to execute everything that was good, and bravely point out everything that was bad in the hope of getting it corrected, perhaps my end would not have been so miserable. But because my Wisdom was insufficient at that time, and I had no way to distinguish between Good and evil, right and wrong under the true Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. Therefore, regarding opposing religion, this was just a collective action we all took under the party’s instructions, and it was not my personal call, but the laws of karma and cause and effect that I have to bear for this are also so huge. Today, there are many, many Chinese political figures in the Western Land of Dharma Nature; many have already accepted interviews, and many have not yet accepted interviews. Everyone was a top leader in the regime at that time, and I believe they must have many stories and thoughts that they can share with everyone. Today, my son Xi Jinping has been serving as the national leader of China for a long time. I look at everything he has done, and like me back then, there is good and bad, there is Good and evil. And regarding the selfishness that exists in order to protect one’s own country, I also want to advise him here: My son, although you have tried your best in many aspects to achieve a win-win situation, or to have everyone cooperate and achieve an equal distribution of benefits in any field—this is the goal hoped to be achieved through international cooperation with other countries. When the country is strong in all fields, do not cause harm to other countries, and at the same time, you can share this benefit equally with everyone. Although this is your philosophy, I still want to tell you that there is a lot of subtle selfishness in this that must be corrected. If you only protect your own country and cause even a tiny bit of unfairness to other countries, then there are still laws of karma and cause and effect involved. All of this is very subtle.

As a major rising nation, China is now almost on par with the United States. The path the United States once took was based on individualism, prioritising its own country above all else and completely sacrificing the interests of other nations to satisfy its own. All of this is entirely in violation of the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. Today, the United States remains a powerful nation, but it is gradually declining; this is something that everyone can see clearly with their own eyes. I hope that China will never take this path.

We are a great cultural nation with a five-thousand-year history, and the principle of inclusiveness is very important. As a great nation, we should shoulder more responsibility and set a good example for countries around the world. While becoming wealthy ourselves, we should be able to help other countries more, and also help the impoverished people in the smaller, needy areas within our own country. This is a responsibility that a great nation should shoulder; there cannot be even a hint of selfishness, nor can we gain more benefits for ourselves at the expense of other nations during our dealings with them. All of this is unacceptable, yet this is still only speaking of the relationship between nations from a worldly perspective.

However, now that I have learned the true Buddhist education in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I have come to realise that no matter which country it is, if it wants to achieve true peace and stability, it cannot be done without the support of Buddhist education. Buddhist education is what can truly teach everyone to abide by the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, so that there is no deviation and no selfishness. If every one of China's leaders could learn Buddhist education and recognise the Buddhist education at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, only then would China be able to achieve true, long-term prosperity, strength, and peace.

Do not pursue all that is fleeting and beautiful; we must set our sights far ahead. I hope that all the people of China will learn Buddhist education, so that everyone can follow the footsteps of the Buddha while abiding by the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, to reach the state where you are free from aging, free from illness, your spirit never dies. That is the most ultimate and perfect achievement.

If a national leader has the boldness, confidence, and determination to do this, they will certainly be able to help immeasurable and boundless sentient beings. Because, my son, you have this ability and this mission here, so you must not waste the ability of this lifetime. You have this right to speak, although you may be limited by many other leaders, which is also inevitable. But speaking from your perspective as a national leader for over a decade, you have seen all kinds of good and evil, and you should be even more clearly aware that all this fleeting goodness cannot bring long-term stability to everyone. Only after people can truly believe in and implement true Buddhist education can everyone transform all that is fleeting and illusory into something lasting and stable. This eternal mission is the responsibility we should shoulder.

Regarding the fact that Namo Amituofo is now residing at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, my son, if you could put everything aside to investigate this and convey this very great gift to all the people of China, you would certainly be able to greatly help the nation, help the Chinese people to re-recognise Buddhist education, and re-classify Buddhist education as non-religious, including it as a mandatory subject for everyone to learn.

This would allow every school to have time to learn Buddhist education, and everyone would take true morality, the true Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way as the standards that must be followed in life. Then where would there be any villains in the country? Where would there be any bad people? Everyone's heart would be more united and stable than before, and it could also solve many problems of imbalance and anxiety in the Body-Mind-Spirit of people around the world.

Many of the Chinese people today, while the country is prosperous and their economic capacity has improved, are suffering from severe anxiety and pain in their Body-Mind-Spirit, and many are suffering from depression and bipolar disorder. You should pay more attention to the many issues in society and in people's Body-Mind-Spirit; you cannot blindly pursue the strength of the country while ignoring everything that people truly and urgently need in their hearts. And all of this can only be truly realised through the wisdom of Buddhist education.

In the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I can see the spiritual realm very clearly, and I can also see how the spiritual realm affects people's lives; the relationship between the two is very close. As an ancient, great nation, China has a particularly large number of spirit realm beings and demon crowds, both inside and outside people's bodies. Now, Practitioner Su is already able to help so many Chinese people, performing Chao Du for our vast number of spirit realm beings, helping them to be liberated from suffering and to be reborn in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. For all of this, I, Xi Zhongxun, am deeply grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su.

However, how can we truly treat the root cause rather than just the symptoms?

Treating the root cause means starting from the heart. As a national leader, you must also start from your heart, truly using Buddhist education to adjust your inner self, and only then will you be able to elevate your wisdom to lead all the people of the country toward the true path of Goodness.

Free from aging, free from illness, your spirit never dies—this is the ultimate goal that everyone is seeking. But whether this can be achieved still depends on whether you are willing to let go of your attachments and accept Buddhist education.

I hope you can come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. You can have a dialogue with the Buddha, you can have a dialogue with me, and you can understand the true reality of the universe here, so that you will be better able to help all the people of China.

Today, I have experienced this eighty-eight-year dream of life, with its ups and downs, joys and sorrows, and I have also gone through decades of time as painful as hell. Therefore, I can honestly tell you all this, and tell all the people of China, hoping that everyone can gather this strength, take Buddhist education as the goal for everyone's journey, and help China become a true, strong nation once again.

This strength is not about outward prosperity, but true inner strength—the inner ability to truly solve all of people's problems. Under the guidance of Buddhist education, one can solve all of people's problems and lead people all over the world toward the state where you are free from aging, free from illness, your spirit never dies.

Now, I have once again received an invitation from Practitioner Su of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, allowing me to speak to the people of the world, especially to my son, Xi Jinping. I am grateful for the compassion of Namo Amituofo, and grateful for the compassion of Practitioner Su.

My son, you have always respected your old father since you were a child, and one could say you have been very respectful and filial to me. Although you are a national leader and busy day and night, the time you could spare to accompany us elders was not much at the time. But I know you have a heart that wants to help the country; it is just that you have not received true Buddhist education. In this great dyeing vat, you have also followed the consistent practices and ideas to put things into action, thinking that everything said by the Party Central Committee is the Right Way, and thinking that all the values you have accepted from childhood to adulthood are the direction to follow.

Actually, to tell you honestly, we were all wrong. We were wrong because, in our pursuit of the country's prosperity, stability, and internationalisation, and for all the prosperity and stability seen on the surface, we have actually sacrificed a lot and paid a very high price.

Our great nation of China, after going through various good and bad things over the past hundred years—especially the negative things—has actually created great psychological trauma and pain for the people. It is just that now, after generations of baptism, people have buried this pain deep in their hearts without letting it truly come to light. However, many of the wounds left behind at that time still exist; these memories are not far away.

From before the founding of New China to after its founding, from the time when the divided and scattered country and the nation shattered by war were reunited, when everyone was shouting all kinds of beautiful sounds to Chairman Mao at Tiananmen, everyone thought the country would truly move toward the most beautiful future. It is just that under the influence of this ideology, and with countless spirit realm beings and demon crowds controlling our great nation, coupled with the traction of everyone's respective karma and the results of the karma created in the past, these generations of us have walked along without truly curing the psychological problems, contradictions, and pain that everyone had at the time, but instead deepened them and made them deteriorate once again.

From the founding of New China until the end of the Cultural Revolution, the pain and wounds that everyone experienced were very profound. I am someone who was exiled for sixteen years, and I have also suffered that pain.

So today, looking at the Chinese people of today from the Western Land of Dharma Nature, they lack a sense of security in their hearts and are always clinging to all their various feelings, especially clinging to their own achievements and the achievements of their family and children. And all these achievements are measured by the money and status that modern society talks about. All of this has truly brought too much pain to everyone.

Today, there are more than three hundred Chinese celebrities in the Western Land of Dharma Nature who have been guided here by Practitioner Su, and everyone is reflecting on their own lives. As a politician, this is the situation I can see. Of course, there are also many great figures who have dedicated their lives to the construction of the motherland, and I have seen everything they have expressed. I am very grateful to this group of people who have truly dedicated their lives to the country and the people, whether they are scientists or talented people in various fields; I think they represent the voice of a generation, and also the voice of people in a certain field.

However, perhaps we often only see the stories of these so-called celebrities, but we cannot truly see the stories of the grassroots society and the grassroots civilians. Although you also worked in the grassroots society for many years just to see the truth of all this, after so much time has passed, do you still remember what you saw and heard at that time? Do you still remember when you were one with the people, whether their hearts were at peace? Whether they needed to be guided correctly? Did they have any spiritual needs? Do you still remember all of this?

Of course, as the years have passed, you have also held great power for quite some time, and the landscape you see is very different. Never forget the most fundamental thing: how to heal people's hearts. The most important thing is how to use Buddhist education to heal people's Body-Mind-Spirit; this is what a leader should do. Only after the pain at the root is resolved will the country become better, and will the people live a truly better life.

Physical and mental health is so important; it guarantees a country's stability, peace, public order, safety, harmony, and so on. Only when these are truly guaranteed will China no longer have to worry about any country in the world having any thoughts or opinions about China, or any situation like the foreign invasions that the Chinese people have been very worried about for thousands of years; that is even less likely to happen.

The historical burden on the hearts of our Chinese people is too heavy; it is time to let go of all this and honestly follow the teachings of the Buddha, and honestly follow the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. As a leader, you should make the people of China aware of the existence of the spiritual world and not let everyone be confused by what they see and hear before their eyes. You must let everyone have a longer-term perspective and not pay a high price just for this human life and for the body of this lifetime. This is what we Chinese people are generally doing; everyone is bitterly pursuing money, desires, status, identity, and so on, but after a lifetime, nothing is left, and most people still have to go to the hells to suffer the consequences.

It is time to lay out these facts for everyone to know, and at the same time, let everyone know the fact that Namo Amituofo is residing here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Do not worry about hearing voices of opposition or resistance from others, because among them, there are actually quite a few people who can truly learn Buddhism and have very deep Buddhist affinity. If you can lead everyone to do this, you can save sentient beings. First, save this large group of people who have an affinity with the Buddha; as long as they are willing to believe, they are saved. Next, you can also follow this group of people to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia to provide verification for all the Chinese people, and you yourself must also personally go there to provide verification.

Your arrival will not only influence all the people of China to believe in the Buddha, but will also draw the eyes of the whole world to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia; at this time, the Buddha will be able to truly come to the forefront.

If you come here, countless reporters will follow you, and the eyes of the world will follow you to this place. While everyone is getting to know the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, they will also come to know all the Truth and the Right Way within the Buddha's teachings. This is a very good opportunity for people all over the world to understand the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia and to understand the truth of being "free from aging, free from illness, your spirit never dies."

The Buddha is now coming to the forefront, and you can also perform more meritorious deeds to repay the people of China. At the same time, you must also be grateful for the Buddha’s compassion in performing Chao Du for so many famous Chinese figures and deceased spirits, enabling them to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and the Western Land of Dharma Nature. Including your father, we are all people who have been saved by Practitioner Su, and we should know how to repay this kindness.

There are many people you can save; you must have this determination!

Now, Practitioner Su has once again given me, Xi Zhongxun, a task: how can this letter be delivered into the hands of my son?

Based on my understanding of the Chinese political system and the scope of work of the central leadership, to be honest, there are still certain difficulties in accomplishing this. Chinese leaders are surrounded by layers upon layers of people, and their information cannot be directly penetrated from the outside; this is something I know as one of the former Chinese leaders.

However, I believe that now that Namo Amituofo is residing here in the human world, there must be a way to make this work, and we must put in the effort to achieve it.

We must let the Chinese people truly know that I am now able to speak to my son. If possible, we should conduct a very vigorous promotional campaign throughout China, especially concentrated in the Beijing area, whether through the internet or by sending out materials. Although it is easy for the authorities to take it down, if we can promote it with the greatest possible effort, even if it is taken down, it can still gain the possibility of being noticed.

This must rely on everyone using their wisdom in the online world, using many different identities, and gathering many people together to accomplish this. Let this matter shake the Chinese authorities, which can then attract their attention and subsequently reach the ears of President Xi Jinping.

I believe all of this is feasible; it must rely on the efforts of the fourfold assembly to complete it to the best of their ability. I believe China has this potential, and it must be well utilised.

Grateful for the great compassion of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, we Chinese who are in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, now as disciples who have taken refuge and attained Buddhahood, will work well for the spreading of the Buddha’s teachings.

Namo Amituofo

Xi Zhongxun