The Flower-Hearted Jailer: A Journey from Hell to Bliss

This interview was recorded on June 20, 2025, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. It features the testimony of Li Yunxiao, a spirit who once served as a jailer in the hell realms. After enduring immense suffering, she sought deliverance through the compassionate guidance of Practitioner Su and the teachings of the Buddha. She now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Li Yunxiao speaks:

"We are liberated. Today, all sixty of us jailers have finally found liberation.

Each of us sixty jailers has spent a different length of time in the cycle of reincarnation, but we all share one commonality—we have all suffered immensely.

Although the duration of our cycles varied, they were all equally long and arduous. We had long since forgotten when our cycle of reincarnation began or how many lifetimes we had endured, only to finally return to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss today.

We are infinitely grateful to Practitioner Su. It was Practitioner Su who led us back to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, allowing us all to reach this day of liberation.

Right now, all sixty of us jailers are kneeling before the Buddha, respectfully chanting Namo Amituofo, repenting with sincere hearts, and expressing our deepest gratitude.

Gratitude to Namo Amituofo. Gratitude to Practitioner Su."

The Girl Known as a Flower

"I am Li Yunxiao, though everyone calls me 'A Flower.'

People often say that when I smile, I truly look like a flower. Perhaps it is because I inherited my mother's beauty; I was born with a pleasant appearance. Whenever I smile, two dimples appear on my cheeks, and combined with my clear, bright eyes, my whole being seems to glow. Such a smile often makes others smile involuntarily.

However, many have also told me that my beauty does not come entirely from this face, but from the kind heart within me.

I was born into a very happy family. I had a father and mother who cherished me, and two lovely younger sisters. Among the three of us children, my parents loved me the most. As the eldest daughter, perhaps that is why my parents were especially attentive to me. From a young age, I grew up in an environment filled with love, which helped me cultivate an optimistic and positive heart.

My positive nature was influenced by my parents. They rarely thought of things in a negative light. No matter how big or difficult a situation was, they would always look at it from a positive perspective first and then find a solution.

Watching my parents face the ups and downs of life with a positive mental note from childhood, I was naturally influenced by their example. I, too, developed a positive heart, so I always greeted people with a smile and rarely had worries or sorrows."

The Healing Power of Nature

"I love flowers; I have loved them since I was a child.

Perhaps this, too, was influenced by my father. My father loved to grow flowers—roses, lilies, chrysanthemums, sunflowers—as long as they were suitable for our climate, he would try to grow them. As for me, I often followed my father to water, prune, and admire the flowers in full bloom.

My father often took me to various places to admire flowers. Even if we could only catch a glimpse from afar, it made us feel happy and satisfied. In the company of flowers, we gradually built up that sensitivity to beauty and gentleness.

My father and I were so intoxicated by the world of flowers; different flowers brought us different feelings.

Gradually, I began to realise that flowers are not just beautiful. They can also heal the human heart.

Whenever I felt down, just seeing a blooming sunflower would lift my spirits, as if all my unhappiness dissipated with the opening of the petals. I originally thought this was just my own subjective feeling, but a conversation with my cousin made me realise that the power of flowers is real.

That day, my cousin was feeling low. I happened to have a few sunflowers in my hand and gave her one. After she took the flower, her drooping brows slowly relaxed, and she revealed a smile. She said, 'I don't know why, but as soon as I saw this flower, my heart felt warm, as if some stifling frustration had been taken away by it in an instant.'

At that moment, I made a vow: I would study flowers thoroughly and make them a tool to help others."

A Remedy for the Soul

"Of course, I knew that everyone's perception of flowers is different. For instance, I once placed a red rose in a vase on the table. I asked my mother, 'What feeling does this red rose give you?' My mother replied, 'It feels as if my previously restless heart has calmed down significantly.' I asked my father, 'What feeling does this red rose give you?' My father replied, 'Seeing this flower, I feel a sense of companionship.'

My parents' different feelings were both real. There was no right or wrong in these feelings, as they were natural bodily reactions to the flower, and it was clear that the flower had different effects on each person.

I planted more flowers and began to learn how to make dried flowers, floral tea, and essential oils. These seemingly simple creations, at certain moments, became miraculous remedies for healing the souls of others.

The first time I actually used flowers to help someone was with a neighbour. She was a woman of about twenty years old. She was very beautiful but often depressed. Once, while passing by her house, I saw her attempting to take her own life with a knife. I was so terrified that I rushed over and snatched the knife away.

I happened to have a bottle of homemade lavender essential oil with me, and on a whim, I pulled her into the house and let her smell the fragrance to soothe her emotions. To my surprise, she calmed down very quickly and said, 'It smells so good; my heart doesn't feel as chaotic anymore.' That was the first time I felt that flowers could truly save lives.

After that, I would bring different flowers to keep her company every few days. Sometimes I brought lilies. Lilies come in different colours, and I liked to bring white lilies to see her.

Every time I brought lilies, I would arrange them in the vase in her room. The room would soon be filled with a faint lily fragrance. That scent was very comfortable, and her heart would become calm along with it.

I persisted in doing this, and later, the mental and emotional situations of this neighbour became increasingly stable. Her family was very surprised; they could hardly believe that their precious daughter could ever change. I witnessed her transformation with my own eyes. From a daily expression of sorrow, she gradually began to show smiles. Later, she no longer waited passively for me to visit her; she would take the initiative to contact me, asking what flowers I would bring that day. She even came to my house to visit my garden full of flowers.

From the obvious changes in this neighbour, I knew that flowers truly have a magical influence on people. Later, I used the same method to help others. Flowers do not discriminate; whether it is an adult or a child, they can achieve miraculous healing effects."

From the Garden to the Hells

"My life was never separated from flowers. These flowers accompanied me as I grew up and as I grew old. I also used these flowers to help many people. Those I helped clearly knew the positive influence flowers brought them, so many would eventually come to my house to ask for flowers, and I was always happy to give them the flowers they needed at the time.

One day, when I was sixty-seven years old, I was planting flowers in the garden. After working for a while, I prepared to stand up, but suddenly I felt a wave of dizziness. I thought it was temporary, but it became worse and worse. I couldn't stand steadily and fell into the garden. And from that fall, I never woke up again.

When my spirit left my body, it happened to drift over my favourite sea of flowers. It was the season of violets, and I was led by the most brilliant violet into its space.

I love violets; they bring people a sense of stability. Therefore, I had also used violets to help many people whose emotions were easily affected. With my help, they all became much more stable and were very grateful.

I was intoxicated and happy in the space of the violets because I love violets, and I loved being in this violet, using my power to help those in need, making them feel calm and accompanied.

I did not know how long I would stay in the violet space, nor did I ever think about it. One day, I suddenly felt a change in the space, and two officials dressed in black appeared before me, telling me to follow them.

I was taken into the hells. King Yama told me, 'The Causal Conditions you had with flowers in this life, under the influence of your kind heart, played a role in helping many people through the low points and difficulties of their lives. Your good deeds accumulated quite a bit of Blessings, and now you are assigned the position of a jailer.'

In the hells, I saw all kinds of suffering. That suffering made me feel heartache and distress, and it was then that I realised that even if I had millions of types of flowers at that moment, I could not help them leave suffering behind. At that moment, I was absolutely desperate.

Just as I was in despair, I heard the Dharma sound of Practitioner Su giving Dharma talks.

At first, I did not understand, but as I continued to listen, the more I listened, the more I understood, and the more I listened, the more Dharma-joy I felt. I suddenly laughed out loud and said to myself, 'Finally, I have found a method that can truly help others.'

I began to introduce others to listen to the Dharma talks and encouraged everyone to chant Namo Amituofo. The Buddha can truly help these beings in the hells leave suffering behind, as long as they sincerely repent and are willing to believe in the Buddha and chant Namo Amituofo.

I am very grateful to have met Practitioner Su and to have heard Practitioner Su's Dharma talks. Later, I also made a vow to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Today, I represent the others, leading the other fifty-nine jailers in waiting. When the time came, under the guidance of Practitioner Su's Dharma Body, we arrived at the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Gratitude to Namo Amituofo.

Gratitude to Practitioner Su.

Gratitude for this magnificent Causal Condition.

Gratitude for everything I have encountered.

Namo Amituofo.

Li Yunxiao bows in reverence."