The Karmic Retribution of the Wang Fuk Court Fire

This interview documents the testimony of Zhu Lanying, a celestial being who serves as a Queen Mother guarding the space above the Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong. Seeking deliverance from the cycle of suffering, she arrived at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia, where she now resides in the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This account was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on December 13, 2025.

Zhu Lanying speaks:

"Many fishermen, unaware of the cause of their deaths, learned of the laws of karma and cause and effect before the throne of King Yama. Yet, refusing to repent, they swore to take revenge. They changed their forms and paths, becoming the decision-makers, contractors, workers, and designers of the Wang Fuk Court project. The residents of the court were the fish from that ancient lake, and the firefighter surnamed Ho was the beast itself. Thus, he died first, announcing to the world that this was a case of retribution—one debt repaid for another.

Namo Amituofo. I am Zhu Lanying, a celestial being residing above the Wang Fuk Court. Before the fire occurred, the beings bound by collective karma had already gathered. Their karma was like a massive, swirling vortex; none of the beings connected by karmic affinity could escape it. I am the Queen Mother who guards this space.

The Ancient Origins of the Lake

Long ago, this land was a desolate wilderness, filled with disasters and miasma. Then, the first drop of rain fell from the sky, followed by torrential downpours that gathered into a pond, then a weir, and finally a lake. The location of the Wang Fuk Court was at the heart of this lake, where a fierce beast lived, surviving on fish and shrimp. Yet, it still harboured goodness in its heart and did not harm humans. For over three hundred years in that lake, it never harmed a single person.

Later, a village was established around the lake, and the residents made their living by fishing. However, the methods they used were short-sighted and driven by greed; the fishermen used poison to prevent the fish from diving deep. The beast, feeding on these fish, suffered from severe bloating and could not dive, which led it to attack the fishermen. From that moment, an unbreakable grudge was formed. The fishermen set traps to lure the beast in, surrounded it with nets, and just like the fish in the lake, they burned it with fire. As the beast struggled, it swore to take revenge for this cruelty.

The Cycle of Retribution

Through many lifetimes, the fishermen grew old, and their descendants filled the village. A group of bandits—who were the reincarnations of that beast and the lake fish—surrounded and slaughtered the fishing village. They surrounded the village with firewood and straw, first poisoning the well so the people could not escape, and then igniting the brush to watch them perish. Many of those fishermen, unaware of the cause of their deaths, learned of the laws of karma and cause and effect before the throne of King Yama. Yet, refusing to repent, they swore to take revenge.

They changed their forms and paths, becoming the decision-makers, contractors, workers, and designers of the Wang Fuk Court project. Those who had not yet attained a human body used their intent to control the residents of Wang Fuk Court, trapping them in states of confusion, illness, suffering, terror, and panic. The residents of the court were the fish from that ancient lake, and the firefighter surnamed Ho was the beast itself. Thus, he died first, announcing to the world that this was a case of retribution—one debt repaid for another. His brave rush into the scene was also a reflection of his past actions of protecting the fish and slaughtering the villagers. Such laws of karma and cause and effect cannot be explained without the use of skillful means.

The Reality of Cause and Effect

It is a fortunate coincidence that Namo Amituofo is residing here, for the world must understand how terrifying the laws of karma and cause and effect truly are. The massive fire at Wang Fuk Court was not a random occurrence. As the sutras say, it started from a small, subtle beginning and grew into a great, tragic drama. If one were to investigate further, tracing it to the very root, one would discover that the laws of karma and cause and effect cannot be concluded in just one or two lifetimes; they are all driven by karma accumulated since time immemorial. Everyone involved must receive their retribution; no one is exempt.

I am a Queen Mother of the Second Heaven, a position appointed by the Heavenly Emperor. I have held this duty for twelve hundred years. The suffering in the human world is everywhere. Although the fire at Wang Fuk Court was terrifying and shocking, among the many disasters in this world, it is not the first, nor the second or third, nor even the tenth. This is enough to show the intense suffering of this Sahā world. People should believe in the words of the Buddha and strive to practise Goodness.

A Path of Service and Compassion

My attainment of the position of Queen Mother was also a result of practising Goodness. Twelve hundred years ago, I was an ordinary civilian. Although I say 'ordinary,' I was actually the daughter of a noble family, highly sought after by many, but I never agreed to marry. My heart was not of this human world; I had no intention of forming a worldly union.

I devoted myself to governance, wishing for the prosperity of the region, free from illness, suffering, or famine. However, where collective karma is concerned, it is not something a human can reverse. I exhausted my family's wealth to provide relief during famines, but in the face of natural disasters, it was like a cup of water trying to extinguish a cartload of burning firewood. I felt deeply powerless, feeling only the intense suffering of the people.

Later, bandits arose everywhere, and I could not escape my fate. I grieved for the ignorance of the people, who did not understand the laws of karma and cause and effect, and did not fear them. Even after I lost my life to the blade, my heart remained tied to the people. After my spirit left my body, I ascended directly to the Second Heaven. The Jade Emperor, noting my kind heart, granted me the position of Queen Mother. Twelve hundred years have passed, and now, my duty is complete.

The Promise of the Western Pure Land

The name of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, the place where Namo Amituofo abides, is known throughout the heavenly realms, and all desire to go there. However, each has their own responsibilities, which are also for the sake of all beings. When those duties are fulfilled, the time to seek the West will arrive.

I felt compassion for the beings of Wang Fuk Court. In my capacity as the Queen Mother, I counselled them, helped to diminish the disaster, allowed some to survive, reduced the suffering of death, and lessened their resentment and anger. Now, my merit is complete. I know the temple will soon hold another Chao Du. Above the Wang Fuk Court, I wait quietly for the golden light. When the time for the golden light arrives, it will lead me to the Western Dharma-Nature Land, where I shall attain endless joy. In the pure and good land of Hsiang Kuang, I will finally see Namo Amituofo, enter the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and wish to return with Namo Amituofo to save all sentient beings, returning to the Pure Land and then back to the Sahā world again.

Namo Amituofo."