The General's Redemption: An Interview with Yue Fei

This is a record of an interview with the legendary General Yue Fei and his mother, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. They now reside in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon their lives and their eventual liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on April 19, 2026.

Yue Fei speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Yue Fei. I have been a resident of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss for over a decade now. It is truly unexpected that after all this time, I would have the opportunity to be interviewed by the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This is something I never could have imagined possible.

I have only recently learned that Practitioner Su, guided by the presence of Namo Amituofo, has been performing Chao Du for countless beings across the vast, boundless spaces of China, leading them to the Western Land of Dharma Nature. For those of us who arrived in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss long ago, this is cause for immense joy. We watch from afar as Practitioner Su’s ability to deliver beings takes another monumental leap forward! My heart is filled with such deep emotion. Every day, as I look down from the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss at the scenes unfolding in the human world, I am reminded of the time I spent suffering within those very spaces. It is heart-wrenching to realise that there are still so many countless beings trapped in those realms, enduring such profound suffering. Yet, how fortunate they are! This time, under the illumination of the Buddha-light, they are being led out of those spaces in great numbers, destined for the Western Land of Dharma Nature.

A Witness to the Great Deliverance

The pace of this transformation is breathtaking. I look back at the space where I once led my armies into battle, and I see so many of my generals, soldiers, and even our horses, still locked in that endless cycle of combat. But now, having encountered the great deliverance of Practitioner Su, many of them have finally escaped that space and arrived at the Western Land of Dharma Nature. I can look across the distance and see them there; they are filled with such Dharma-joy. Many are diligently chanting Namo Amituofo, hoping that one day they, too, will be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. To all of you, know that I, Yue Fei, am waiting for you here!

Let me introduce myself properly. In the history of China, I am a figure known to everyone, from the highest official to the humblest civilian. Throughout history, there have been countless heroes and men of great talent, yet people always seem to remember me. Perhaps it is because the four characters 'Loyalty to the Country' resonate so deeply. I remember the day my mother tattooed these words onto my back; she did so while weeping. Tell me, what mother would ever wish for her son to go to the battlefield to kill, to risk his life, and to live a life where death is always knocking at the door?

The Weight of 'Loyalty to the Country'

My mother possessed a profound sense of righteousness. Faced with the choice between loyalty to the country and the duty to care for her parents, she chose to let me walk the path of serving the nation. This spirit of sacrificing the small self to achieve the greater good is a trait shared by many great mothers throughout the ages. Her greatness has been emulated by countless mothers in future generations, and it is for this reason that she is revered by all as 'Yue Mu'—the Mother of Yue Fei.

It was only ten years ago, when Practitioner Su opened up the space through his deliverance, that my mother and I were finally reunited here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. My mother was a woman of integrity and kindness throughout her life. Everything she taught me was rooted in the fundamental moral foundations taught by the great Confucian scholars. For my part, I spent my entire life upholding my love for the country, a devotion that never wavered from my birth until my final days.

True patriotism includes a deep care for the lives of the common people, and a reverence for every inch of the nation's land and every one of its resources. When I led my troops into battle, I always operated with this in mind. Wherever we went, we never disturbed the people. We treated the local civilians with the utmost care, ensuring we never caused them the slightest trouble. We did everything in our power to assist them in whatever way we could.

The Misunderstood 'Yue Family Army'

As for the nation's land and resources, we cherished them deeply. When the country was on the brink of collapse, resources and military supplies were incredibly scarce; they had to be protected at all costs. Because of this, the discipline in my army was extremely strict. Any act of waste, any breach of discipline, any violation of moral standards, or any instance of harming others—I, Yue Fei, would not hesitate to execute the offenders publicly. I had to ensure everyone understood the gravity of discipline. The 'Yue Family Army' was required to sacrifice for others; there was no room for selfishness. This is how I always taught my subordinates.

The name 'Yue Family Army' was a title given to us by the people. I did not know it at the time, but when this name reached the ears of Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty, it filled him with great anger. And in a way, it is understandable. If a national army is named after a single general, a suspicious emperor would naturally view it as a major threat to the throne.

But the truth was quite the opposite. I never named my army the 'Yue Family Army.' It was a term of endearment used by the local people. Whenever my troops arrived, they would cheer, 'The Yue Family Army is here!' or 'Welcome, Yue Family Army!' The name spread naturally among the people, and eventually, it became one of the reasons that led to my tragic downfall.

Eight Centuries Trapped in the Battlefield

People often imagine me as a fierce, battle-hardened general. But I will confess to you all: while I was a military commander, I was actually a very honest man, quite unskilled at anything other than military affairs. Though I appeared stern in the army, in private, I was a gentle and kind person.

I spent my entire life at war. In my campaigns against the Jin invaders, there were victories and there were defeats. I fought hundreds of battles, both large and small. Some were against internal uprisings, others against rebels in the southern barbarian lands; not all were against the Jin. But regardless, the primary focus of my resistance remained the Jin forces.

In the end, before my death, the Emperor decided to execute me as a gesture to appease the Jin kingdom and secure peace. When I was recalled by the twelve golden imperial decrees, I was ordered to die. I was stunned. I could not believe that after a lifetime of loyal service to the court and the country, I would end up being executed. I was still young—only thirty-nine years old. For many people in the Central Plains at that time, it was a source of profound grief.

After I died, I was cast directly into the battlefield space I knew so well. It felt so natural, so familiar. Although I did not die on horseback—I was executed—the space I entered after death returned me to the battlefield I knew. I was still galloping on my horse, still gripping my spear, ready to strike the enemy. Everything was so familiar that I could not distinguish whether I was dead or still alive. In that space, it was different from reality; sometimes I would strike others, sometimes I would be wounded or killed, but since I had no physical body, I could not truly die. I just kept fighting, over and over again. I would be struck, and then I would strike back; I would kill, and then continue to kill. It was as if I were trapped in an endless cycle of the same actions. My horse seemed to be replaced time and again, but I remained in the same posture, the same state of readiness, struggling to fight on. This was the space I inhabited after death—a space that remained unchanged for over eight hundred years.

The Grace of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su

To think of those eight hundred years in that battlefield space is truly terrifying. It was not just me; there were tens of thousands of others like me—my deputy generals, the commanders who fought alongside me, and the vast numbers of soldiers and horses. Many of us returned to that familiar space after death, continuing to fight, never knowing when or how we would ever escape.

How fortunate I am to have encountered the era in which Namo Amituofo abides in the world. This is a truly magnificent period. The person I once called Practitioner Su, and who is now known as Practitioner Su, used his own perseverance and high Wisdom to successfully realise his true nature, and subsequently, he unleashed the boundless, infinite power that comes with such an awakening. This level of power is not something that every awakened being can achieve. Since his awakening, Practitioner Su has never rested; he is single-mindedly dedicated to helping all beings leave suffering behind and gain happiness. It is this vast, boundless vow that moved Namo Amituofo to descend to the world and reside at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This is why Practitioner Su, with the help of the Buddha, is now able to deliver beings from those vast, trapped spaces.

It was in that very battlefield space that I was rescued by Practitioner Su, who brought the Twelve Lights to save us. When the Buddha-light shone upon us, I, along with countless generals, soldiers, and horses, were instantly drawn into the light and entered the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. We only later realised that we had been saved by the Buddha. At that time, I even accepted a brief interview with the Hsiang Kuang Centre in Taiwan, as did my mother. My mother was a woman of great righteousness and warmth, and after her death, she had entered the second heaven of the Celestial Realm. Practitioner Su helped her open that space as well, guiding her into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss to reunite with me. The compassion of Namo Amituofo and the compassion of Practitioner Su—I, your disciple Yue Fei, will never forget them from beginning to end. My gratitude is beyond words. My mother is also listening to this interview right now. Perhaps I can ask her to say a few words.

Yue Mu speaks:

"Gratitude to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. I am Yue Fei’s mother. You may call me Yue Mu, as that is the name familiar to all Chinese people. Everyone knows that from a young age, I instilled in Yue Fei the principle of 'Loyalty to the Country.' Given the social environment of that time and my own perspective, I believed that the country was always in need of talented people to help the people escape the ravages of war. At that time, the concept of 'ending war with war' was very common. If we wanted the people to live good lives, we had to use war to drive away the invaders so that the country could achieve true peace and prosperity. I shared this belief with many others, which is why I told my son, Yue Fei, from his youth, that I hoped he would do his utmost to serve the country."

"At that time, I did not explicitly demand that he must go to the battlefield, yet observing my son's character from his youth, I felt deep within my heart that he was truly destined for the field of battle rather than the life of a scholar holding only paper and brush. Indeed, Yue Fei later became the legendary general known to every household, leading the Yue Army through countless arduous campaigns. I remained his most steadfast supporter throughout his career. As the sunset of my life approached, my physical body began to fail me, and I knew that my time in this world was drawing to a close. To prevent Yue Fei from being distracted by my condition, I wished to send him away so that I might pass on in solitude. However, Yue Fei was a man of profound filial piety. Even knowing the gravity of my physical state, he insisted on keeping me by his side during his military campaigns. While I did not participate in the fighting directly, when my strength allowed, I could still contribute to the cause from the rear. Eventually, as my health deteriorated further, I felt a heavy heart, not wanting to be a burden to those around me. Soon after, I departed from this world. After my passing, I arrived in the heavens, where I could still look down upon everything in the human world. Watching the changes in Yue Fei’s life and his tireless efforts, I felt a deep sense of comfort and peace."

The Light of Deliverance

"At this moment, my deepest gratitude goes to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. It is because of the salvation provided by these two holy beings that my son and I have been granted the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The depth of this gratitude is truly beyond words. When I was liberated from the space of the Second Heaven and arrived in the Western Pure Land, I found a world far more radiant and magnificent than the heavenly realms I had previously known. Everything here is so inconceivable. My heart is filled with profound reverence and gratitude, knowing that everything Practitioner Su does is for the sake of all sentient beings. This is what I admire most about her—it is this immense heart and this Ultimate Vow that have enabled so many to leave suffering behind and gain happiness."

Yue Fei speaks:

"I am deeply moved by my mother’s words. My heart is overflowing with gratitude. Whether it is toward Namo Amituofo or Practitioner Su, the fact that my mother and I can be here today in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, practicing diligently under the Buddha’s light, is entirely due to the compassion of these two holy beings. They have given us, and countless other spirits, the precious opportunity to escape the sea of suffering and be reborn in the Western Pure Land."

Ten Years in the Western Pure Land

"For the past ten years in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, I have been doing very well. I have been practicing diligently, never daring to slacken for even a moment. Every single instant here, my heart holds nothing but the name of 'Namo Amituofo.' There is nothing else to desire; it is a state of absolute coolness and liberation. I simply focus on chanting this six-character name, 'Namo Amituofo,' with unwavering consistency. Beyond listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma, or contemplating how I might serve the people, I truly just focus on chanting this Buddha-name with a sincere heart. I have often thought that perhaps one day, when my practice in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss has matured, I might return to the human world to save the boundless number of suffering beings. However, I do not dwell on these arrangements; I leave everything to the Buddha. The Buddha surely understands me completely and knows exactly when the Causal Conditions for such a mission will ripen."

The Illusion of Patriotism and the Law of Karma

"My state of mind here in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is vastly different from what it was in the human world. Many truths that were once obscured to me became clear only after I arrived here. I was once trapped in a specific space because of my lifelong attachment to the war—my belief that I had to fight to the very end to defend the country against the Jin invaders. This attachment kept me anchored in that same space, unable to leave. It was the thought that occupied my mind most throughout my life, and so, in that space, I continued to perform the same actions over and over, never stopping."

"But all of that is in the past now. Here in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, those things no longer hold any importance. My spiritual life is vast and eternal. When I look back at the cause and effect relationships between the Song Dynasty, the Jin Dynasty, and the later Mongol Empire, I see them with absolute clarity. I now understand that this karmic retribution was not something I could have changed through my efforts on the battlefield. The fate of the Song Dynasty was the result of the collective karma of the people and the court at that time, intertwined with the Jin. Throughout history, nations have slaughtered one another because they do not understand this truth. Everyone fights desperately to gain more benefits, more power, or more territory for their own country, unaware that all of this is governed by the laws of karma and cause and effect. Whether one is the killer or the one killed, everything is caught in the turning of karma."

A Final Message to the World

"Once I understood this truth, I was able to let go of my attachments and feelings regarding the past. I realized that only by truly becoming a Buddha, like Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, can one achieve true perfection and thereby help all sentient beings. No matter how much loyalty, courage, or love for one's country and people one may have in the human world, it is all transient and fleeting. We cannot help people escape the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death, nor can we decide which realm they will be reborn into or whether they will continue to cycle through samsara. These things are beyond the power of the human world; the human world is not a place where one can truly be the master of one's destiny. Therefore, much of what we think and do is not actually the Right Way, even if we believe it to be so."

"The Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way are very real, and I see them clearly from here. The negative causes I once created were what led to my execution by the Emperor, and I now accept this without a single complaint or ripple of resentment. Such is the natural law of cause and effect. Only through Buddhist education can people come to understand this; otherwise, they will only blame others or kill one another, never realizing that everything is governed by the laws of karma. I live in great peace here in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss; it is a magnificent and beautiful place. Everything I think of manifests instantly, yet I strive to keep my mind fixed on the six-character name of 'Namo Amituofo,' without indulging in too many expectations for the future. Everything proceeds in accordance with Causal Conditions. The joy, the Dharma-bliss, and the liberation here are beyond anything anyone could imagine. I hope that all the Chinese people currently in the Western Land of Dharma Nature can chant the Buddha's name with a single heart, so that one day, they too may be guided by Practitioner Su to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am waiting for you all here."

Namo Amituofo.

Yue Fei