The Final Curtain Call of Chu Ke-liang

This is a record of an interview with the late Taiwanese entertainer Chu Ke-liang, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his transition to the Pure Land. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa-ru, on April 5, 2026.

Chu Ke-liang speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Everyone here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss chants this Buddha-name. This respect for the rules is what makes this a professional interview. Well then, I am happy to be interviewed today. It has been such a long time since I last spoke to everyone. I never expected that so much time had passed in the blink of an eye. Being here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, it truly feels like it has only been a single moment.

It feels as if my life in the Taiwanese entertainment industry only just ended; the memories of my friends and family are as vivid as if they were still right before my eyes. In truth, here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, if I truly miss anyone, I can see them whenever I wish. After arriving here, I slowly began to realise that my life was not limited to just this one lifetime as Chu Ke-liang. I have travelled back and forth through various worlds, playing countless roles over and over again. This final time, I became Chu Ke-liang, the household-name host known as the 'King of Showbiz' and the 'King of Ten Thousand Shows'. In reality, these titles were only attached to this most recent lifetime.

A Blink of an Eye in the Western Pure Land

Every day here, I look out at this magnificent, golden world. The very ground is made of gold, and everywhere I look, there are precious jewels, grand palaces, and pools of water that look incredibly refined. It makes me sigh with emotion. When I was alive in the world, I pursued things so desperately, and what I became obsessed with in the end was nothing more than money. Here in the Western Land, you do not need money for anything. The ground is paved with gold, and the trees are laden with jewels. The palaces and the buildings where we reside are incomparably luxurious—they are far more advanced than the luxury mansions in Taipei; they are truly at the level of imperial palaces.

Only after entering such a world did I realise how truly bitter life in Taiwan was. This bitterness was not just about being unemployed or having a struggling career; it was not just the bitterness of being chased by debt collectors, having family discord, or facing life's setbacks. These were not the real suffering. The true suffering was that despite enduring so much, I had no idea there was any other direction to take. My life had no goal other than earning money to support my family, pursuing my career, and ensuring everyone knew who Chu Ke-liang was. Beyond that, there was no other meaning.

The Illusion of the 'King of Showbiz'

And the Chu Ke-liang that everyone knew—nearly nine years have passed since then. Perhaps some of the older generation still remember Chu Ke-liang, but do the young people of today still watch the shows I hosted? The 'Chu Ke-liang Song Hall Show' has slowly become a piece of history. Those over thirty might still have a faint impression, and those in their forties, fifties, or sixties might have seen me perform in the show halls. But for the younger generation, the Taiwanese people of the internet age, they might only have seen me host a show once or twice through the remaining video clips online. To them, Chu Ke-liang has become a stranger—just an entertainer from the older generation.

At the time, I was indeed very excited and felt it was precious to be able to return to the entertainment industry. Being able to return to the hosting stage, continuing to serve as a host on major programmes, and interacting with guests—I was very grateful and cherished those moments. This carried two layers of meaning: on one hand, it was as if the Heavens had given me a chance to return to the stage where I felt most confident. On the other hand, it helped me resolve the pressure of my debts. But to be blunt, I still fell ill. In the later stages of my life, I received help from many people from all walks of life. I know I let many people down in this lifetime, but to receive help from all sides at the end of my life, and even to reconcile with many friends with whom I had previously held grudges, left me feeling deeply moved. It was so difficult to restore those relationships, yet I had already become critically ill.

The Weight of Influence and Karmic Debt

During my final projects, whether hosting or filming movies, my body was under immense strain. I could not truly bring out my peak state, which made me feel apologetic toward the stage I respected and held sacred. No matter how unbearable the life of Chu Ke-liang was off-stage, and no matter what problems existed in my personality or character, the Chu Ke-liang on stage had to be the best, the most radiant, the most talented, and the most humorous. This was the responsibility I felt I owed the audience, and it is the reason I earned the title 'King of Ten Thousand Shows'.

However, after arriving in the Western Land, my state of mind underwent a massive change. At the time, I still had some attachment to the human world. After all, these were things I had finally achieved at the end of my life—the broken family relationships I had finally mended, the friends I had offended in the industry who were willing to reconcile, the career that was finally getting back on track, the debts I was finally able to repay, and the chance to meet the audience again. These were all gifts I had finally managed to bring to the Taiwanese audience at the end of my life.

I was serving the Taiwanese audience as a brand-new Chu Ke-liang. But my condition worsened too quickly; the colon cancer was incredibly fierce. Because I was so actively trying to work, improve myself, and change my situation, I neglected my treatment. I was truly unwilling to accept that just as my second career peak was in full swing, I would have to suffer the torture of chemotherapy, which dragged down my career. Of course, there was some selfishness on my part, too. After all, I wanted to return to the stage and be the top host; how could I let such a 'minor' illness ruin my career? But it turned out not to be a minor illness at all. It spread rapidly, catching me completely off guard.

At that moment, I was truly stunned. The shock I felt was just like when my career was at its peak and I was forced to 'go abroad for further studies'. I felt desperate; I did not understand why I always encountered the same things—always facing setbacks just when I was about to become famous and glorious. In my helplessness, I had no way to turn things around. After I breathed my last, my spirit arrived before the King of Hell. In fact, while I was still in the world, three of my hun souls and seven po souls had already scattered.

Before I went to the hells, my entertainment career had influenced many Taiwanese people. At the time, I did not know that performing and hosting shows to make people laugh could actually create karma. I arrived in the Western Land, and I looked back at the past, asking the Buddha for guidance on my actions and deeds. The Buddha helped me understand that the work of an entertainer is not as simple as it seems. It is like a teacher educating students; students listen to what the teacher says, believe in the teacher's actions, and learn through subtle influence. As a host, tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of viewers watched my shows and listened to what I said. They turned on the television at fixed times, or listened to me sing and watched me interact with guests in the show halls. In this invisible way, everyone was influenced by me.

If what I said was in accordance with morality, social justice, the Truth, and righteous values, then I would not have created sins. But if, on the contrary, I spoke in ways that were vulgar, lewd, or filled with sarcasm, or if I made comments that caused people to feel unhappy or emotionally disturbed, then there was sin in that. Laughing, joking, and teasing with friends and family is one thing, but when it is broadcast on television to a massive audience, the number of people affected is vast.

Even now, if the shows I hosted are still circulating on the internet, my influence continues to expand. Fortunately, regarding my debts, I am now in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, so I do not have to go to the hells to suffer punishment for the time being, but the debts I owe must still be repaid in the future. Thinking of this, I cannot help but sigh—why am I always in debt? Is there really no day when I can finish paying it all off? The Heavens are too unfair! Ah, no, that is not right. This is all the result of my own actions; there is no unfairness at all. I have already understood this point here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, and it is only natural that I must repay these debts later. I have said quite a lot. In truth, Chu Ke-liang’s life was full of highs and lows; I have experienced all the facets of life.

A Debt of Gratitude to Practitioner Su

All of this is thanks to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for saving me and bringing me to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Oh my, this is truly a mix of emotions! Actually, when Practitioner Su guided me to the Western Land, I thought to myself: 'Wow, this old lady is not young, yet she has such great ability and even knows Namo Amituofo.' When I was in the world, I had more contact with local temples and less with Buddhism, but I respected all deities. Now, looking at it from the Western Land, wow, this is incredible! This is no ordinary deity; this is truly a Buddha.

I do not know if everyone knows what a Buddha is? A Buddha is very, very large, radiating great light in the sky; the golden light is incredibly bright. This Western Land of Ultimate Bliss was entirely established by the Buddha. The Buddha created this world so that everyone would not have to go to the hells to suffer. The Buddha is truly kind to people and very compassionate. Because the Buddha allowed me to come to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I know that the Western Land and the Earth are actually connected, but the prerequisite is that one must have practice.

One must have one's own practice to be able to connect with the Buddha. It is just like the 'spirit mediums' in the temples—it means being able to communicate with the deities. At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, the Venerables can receive messages, which is why they can interview me here at the temple now. I used to be the one interviewing others, but now it is my turn to be interviewed. Actually, I was interviewed many years ago, but at that time, I had just arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and was still not quite used to all these changes; I did not know what to share with everyone. I had truly never seen such a beautiful world, and I was so excited to tell everyone, but I always felt I did not know how to make people believe. However, for me now, none of that is so important anymore."

Namo Amituofo.

"I have been in the Western Land for quite some time now. Although it feels like only a fleeting moment, in the human world, nearly ten years have already passed. Living such a relaxed life here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I often look back at the human world. My dear friends there are growing older and falling ill; some have even passed away without the opportunity to reach the Western Land. I feel such deep regret for them. If only they had the chance to connect with the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Since the people at this temple are Taiwanese, communication should be very easy. A simple phone call or a letter would suffice, and visiting in person would be the most ideal. Give yourself a chance—you could come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre."

A Sincere Plea to Old Friends

"I also want to offer some counseling to my good friends in the entertainment industry. We are all old friends, and I know how hard it is for you now, dealing with illnesses, taking medication, and constantly seeing doctors. Just like when I had cancer—the surgeries, the chemotherapy—it was truly exhausting.

In truth, once you come to the temple and get to know Namo Amituofo and the Buddhist education provided here, you do not need to rely on medication. For illness, as long as you truly believe in the Buddha, follow the Buddha, learn from the Buddha, and change your personality traits, you really do not need medicine. This temple has been promoting this approach for a long time."

A Transformation Beyond Belief

"The elderly lady who led me to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is now in her eighties, yet she looks younger and younger as time goes by. It is truly shocking to see! Don't let my usual stage persona—where I loved to talk nonsense—fool you. Here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I am, at the very least, a Bodhisattva of the Buddha-land. I am a Bodhisattva of the Land of Ultimate Bliss. I must keep my word and be honest; I cannot tell lies anymore. I hope that those who have the chance to hear these words from Chu Ke-liang, and who still remember me, will go online. Nowadays, mobile phones and computers make it so easy—just go online and take a look.

This is the latest work from Chu Ke-liang in 2026. Although it is only a short piece of text, those who understand will know immediately. This is me! Even though I no longer have a physical body, my spirit is clearer than ever. My mind is sharper than before, and I no longer have cancer in my stomach. I can finally speak the truth to everyone—my heartfelt, honest truth."

An Invitation to the Western Land

"I hope everyone will come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Come and learn the Buddha’s teachings, learn from Namo Amituofo, and you won't have to suffer through hospitalizations like I did. To the big brothers of the entertainment industry, my colleagues from later years, my friends from the temples, my friends from the streets who once helped me, and my family:

In the past, you may have had some misunderstandings about me. In truth, they weren't exactly misunderstandings; after all, I was living in a world where I often couldn't control my own destiny. My karma was extremely heavy, and during my time in the human world, I often couldn't control myself. Although saying this now cannot change the past, I still want to offer you my apologies. If you are willing to believe me, I am truly in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss now. Even if you just search for 'Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre' online, it is worth a look—you won't suffer a loss by doing so."

The Final Curtain Call

"The role of 'Chu Ke-liang' has officially finished its run in Taiwan, and it will slowly fade from the memories of the Taiwanese people. As the older generation gradually passes on, fewer and fewer people will remember who Chu Ke-liang was.

People have both good and bad impressions of Chu Ke-liang, but in reality, I have not left you. I am in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, and I can see Taiwan whenever I wish. The Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is truly that miraculous. If you want to find me, you can also come to the temple to find me.

I have good news to report to everyone: Chu Ke-liang is now living a brand-new life in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. If you also wish to 'immigrate' to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, you can come to the temple to sign up. This is my happy announcement to you all!

I will stop here for today. Gratitude to Namo Amituofo, gratitude to Practitioner Su.

Namo Amituofo.

Chu Ke-liang"