The Final Moments at Wang Fuk Court

This is a record of an interview with Wei Guhu, who sought spiritual deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account reflects upon his 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 10, 2025.

Wei Guhu speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Wei Guhu, and I am eighty-two years old this year. Having lived through so much, including fleeing from danger in my youth, I have witnessed all manner of death and injury. I consider myself a man of the world, a brave old soul. Having reached this age with a sound body and a clear mind, watching those around me pass away one by one, my heart has become quite still. I have truly seen too much of life and death. Yet, the story I must tell today is of my own passing—ha! To think I would die in such a tragic manner, only to find such beauty afterward. These past few weeks feel like a dream; I am still somewhat astonished, but I have certainly accepted it.

Those who see this interview may not know me well, perhaps only my old neighbours or friends I have not seen in many years. I have always gotten along well with everyone, though I never sought deep entanglements. Wherever I was needed, I would go—it was simply natural, perhaps a habit from my days as a soldier when I grew fond of helping others. Now that I have arrived in this Western Dharma-Nature Land, with Namo Amituofo and this Practitioner Su—a truly unique Buddha in the human world—I am doing very well. I believe that when you hear this, you will be happy for me."

A Life of Simple Joys

"I have always kept a long beard, so the people at Wang Fuk Court and my old friends would call me 'Old Beardy.' It is quite similar to my name, though few people actually knew my full name—perhaps fewer than five. The 'Old Beardy' they knew loved to laugh and was always full of energy, unlike many elderly people who prefer to sleep the day away. I also loved to cook. The food I made was always snatched up instantly because it was so delicious, and my good culinary skills brought me many friends. Someone once suggested I open a restaurant called 'Old Beardy’s Shop,' but I knew I was getting on in years. Even with my high spirits, I could not manage a business, so I did not dwell on it. Although my savings were modest, living alone meant I had no great burdens, and the apartment was already mine. At my age, I did not have much time left, so it was enough. But then, this fire happened, and my money burned away with the building. If only I had given it to those in need sooner! Ha! But that is no longer important. What matters is that if my story can provide a little inspiration to others and help them recognise the Buddha, then it is truly worthwhile.

The fire at Wang Fuk Court left nothing behind. How did I die? I have always had a high level of alertness regarding disasters; it is a habit of many years that never changed. But in the chaos, I forgot: when a fire breaks out, should one go up or down? I followed the crowd. Because I lived on a high floor, I saw people heading toward the stairs leading upward, so I followed them. The thick smoke began to fill every floor, and parts of our building were already ablaze. In such a confined space, if one does not move toward a more open area, one would surely suffocate, would they not? I felt the intuition of those people was correct, so I followed them. As we moved, we saw fire already consuming the floors below us. I thought the fire would take at least half an hour to reach our side, and the fire brigade had already begun to arrive, so I walked quite calmly to the highest platform, where a few others were waiting with me."

The Night the Flames Rose

"Looking down from there, it was terrifying. Although I could not see clearly, I could vaguely discern a sea of fire. Only then did we realise this was no small blaze; Wang Fuk Court was truly burning down! This was not what I had expected. Yet, I remained calm, for I had experienced fires in my childhood, though nothing like the inferno of a high-rise building. I, an old man, even found myself comforting those younger than me, as well as another elderly person of similar age. My 'Old Beardy' charm still held, and seeing them calm down, I did not worry too much.

I never thought my death would come so quickly. On that platform, we were unaware of the fire below, unsure if it was truly about to reach us. But suddenly, we heard a massive sound, as if something had collapsed. Indeed, the ceiling beneath us on the other side had given way. Our side began to sway and tremble. When we saw the flames rising from below, we were instantly filled with despair. We were truly going to die; there was no way out. We could not wait for the fire brigade; we could not wait any longer. Before long, we all fell, tumbling to the floor below. The fire was right beside us, with no path forward or backward. Some fell directly into the pit of fire and were instantly consumed. I fell very close to the great blaze. It was so hot, so incredibly hot. I could no longer breathe, submerged in thick smoke, gasping for air until my head throbbed with agony. Even before the flames touched me, I stopped breathing. In an instant, I knew I had died, for my body suddenly felt no pain. Perhaps it was because my body had separated from me? Like what people call an 'out-of-body experience'—I suppose my spirit had emerged!"

A Light in the Darkness

"Looking at the two or three people beside me, one had died just like me; their spirit was in the air, looking very lost. The other two seemed to still be in great pain, still burning. They were truly being scorched, screaming in agony. Watching their process of death, my heart twisted into a knot. I did not want to see it, so I chose to look away. Soon after, everyone had truly passed, and we waited there together. Yet, everyone seemed different; some waited quietly, while others were agitated and unable to accept it. Our location seemed to open to the sky, but our world was very dark—even the sky was a dark, gloomy sky.

Very soon, we arrived in a world quite unlike the last. We saw a light and flew toward it instantly. We arrived at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. It is very far from Hong Kong, but we arrived in a single second. Upon entering, we saw a place that looked like heaven—so bright, so very bright. It is the world of Namo Amituofo! The place we are in is called the Western Dharma-Nature Land. It is only because of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su that people from our human world have the chance to come to this world. I am so happy now; my whole being is renewed. I could not help but jump on my lotus flower! I, Old Beardy, do not seem old at all! My face has become so bright and clean; I believe you would certainly not recognise me, for I am no longer the 'Old Beardy' of the past. Listening to Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks, I have also learned that I can become a Buddha! I used to think that being a hero was the greatest thing, but I never imagined I would have the fortune to know the Buddha and even become like the Buddha. I had never heard of such a thing.

I, Wei Guhu, have lived a long life, and to have such a wonderful place to go after death is truly moving. I hope my friends who are still alive can see my story and know that they must learn the Dharma, must practise chanting the Buddha’s name, must chant 'Namo Amituofo,' so that one day everyone can come here just like me, to this world of such great light.

Everyone must remember Old Beardy’s words; I am not lying to you. Namo Amituofo is truly on Earth. You can come to Queensland, Australia, for a day. The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is your home. If you want to find me, just come!

Namo Amituofo."