The Salesman Who Smiled Through the Flames

This is a record of an interview with Lin Mei-tsun, who sought 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 life and his passing during the massive fire at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on December 8, 2025.

Lin Mei-tsun speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Lin Mei-tsun, and I am fifty-three years old. I have been waiting here in the Western Dharma-Nature Land for quite some time to share my story. When the disaster first struck, I was in a state of absolute panic and confusion; I had never encountered anything like it in my entire life. I had purchased my home at Wang Fuk Court with the simple hope of enjoying my later years in peace. I had worked diligently and honestly for most of my life to afford that place. I was a bachelor, never married, and as someone who cherished my freedom, I worked as an insurance salesman. While the income from that job was never particularly stable, I truly loved it because it allowed me to connect with so many different people."

A Morning Interrupted by Chaos

"When the disaster unfolded, I was sitting at my dining table enjoying my breakfast. For me, working late into the night and waking up late the next day was just an ordinary part of my routine. The disaster happened so suddenly that I had no time to prepare or even think of a strategy. Everyone was desperate to escape the scene of the fire. With the power cut off, the entire environment was incredibly tense. In my professional life, no matter what kind of client I met or what difficulties I faced, I could always remain calm and composed, looking for opportunities to break through obstacles. But facing that situation, I felt only a profound sense of powerlessness. Deep in my heart, I had a premonition that perhaps today was the end of my life.

I never married in this lifetime because I felt that for two people to be together, one must sacrifice so much. I wasn't sure if I could bear that kind of responsibility. The advantage, however, was that I was always on my own, and I had no heavy burdens or attachments. I would usually greet my neighbours and engage in public relations—it was just a habit I developed from being a salesman. In fact, one of the reasons I enjoyed being a salesman was that a salesman always has to smile, right? You cannot afford not to smile. If you walk around with a sour face, who would want to buy an insurance policy from you? If I were a civil servant, it would be strictly business, and no one would care about my facial expressions. But to smile all day long? Perhaps that is why I was able to do this job for thirty years. Other salesmen might only smile to appease their clients, but I genuinely enjoyed smiling. I felt that if others could see my smile, it might have a positive influence on them. That is something I have always believed in my heart."

The Choice to Ascend

"My first reaction when I encountered the fire was to run upwards. The thick smoke was billowing from below, making me feel that going up might offer a better chance of survival. From time to time, screams echoed around me, including the cries of children. It reminded me that I had no children in this life, which I suppose was a small regret of mine. As I mentioned, I never married, and regarding marriage, I felt that if there were no children involved, marriage didn't really have much meaning.

I lived on the seventeenth floor. At the moment the incident occurred, I already saw a great deal of thick smoke, and with the power out, the elevators were broken. I had no choice but to run upwards. I thought that if I could reach a higher floor, perhaps there would still be a chance to be rescued. I grabbed a wet towel—I had seen that in movies, so I copied the technique. During the process, I heard all sorts of screams, including the cries of children. I didn't know what I could do to help them; I only felt how truly fragile human life is. As I climbed, I kept thinking to myself: 'Where will I go after I die? Is encountering such a tragedy today a matter of fate?' By the time I reached the twenty-first floor, the fire was immense. It was everywhere. I felt a strange sense of relief mixed with fear. I knew that being burned to death would be incredibly painful, and I was terrified of pain. Yet, I also felt that being a human was so exhausting. Regardless of what happened, I felt it was time for it all to end."

The Final Smile

"By the end, as I was trapped and surrounded by fire, I felt as if I were welcoming death. I only hoped that it would all be over quickly. The fire reached my body, and it was painful—so very painful. I tried my best to face it with a smile, just as I did in my daily life. I thought, perhaps I could transform these flames with my smile; I imagined that they, too, must be suffering. The fire scorched my body, but even through the agony, I tried hard to remember to smile. I thought of my parents and hoped they would go to a good place. My body became a charred corpse, and my spirit was ejected from it. In my spiritual state, I still remembered to keep smiling. Looking at that charred body, I thought it looked quite comical—this is what life is. In my spiritual state, I actually felt a sense of relief. The fire was still burning everything in sight, and I wanted to continue using my smile to transform the fire. Just like that, I kept trying to smile as I moved about. I didn't feel tired; it was just like how I faced my clients every day. When clients had needs or problems, I would solve them, and my smile was the best gift I could give them. It was just that now, my clients had become the fire and the victims of the disaster. I thought to myself: 'I truly wish I could do something to help all of this.'

As I thought this, a golden light shone upon me, and I knew that those who smile often are blessed with good fortune. I was received into the Western Dharma-Nature Land. This is a truly beautiful environment where one can often hear the sound of 'Namo Amituofo.' My parents had studied Buddhism and taught me to chant this name, but later on, I lost touch with it and forgot. I only remembered that there was a Buddha-name called 'Namo Amituofo.' Now, arriving in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, hearing this name, I wondered: 'Could it be that Namo Amituofo saved me?' I was on a lotus seat, feeling so comfortable and at ease. It was different from when I was a human, where I felt I had to maintain a smile at every moment. Here, I can smile or not smile, yet I can smile more happily than at any moment when I had a physical body. I feel so secure here; this is the place I want to stay forever. When I was a human, not smiling meant suffering, but here, not smiling is not suffering either—hahaha!"

A Debt of Gratitude

"Where exactly is this place? I heard someone calling out, 'The one hundred and fifty-six victims of the Wang Fuk Court fire in Hong Kong...' Slowly, I came to understand that it was this person called Practitioner Su who saved me, and that golden light was the Buddha-light of Namo Amituofo. This place is called the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. Everyone can come here to meet the victims of the fire and speak with them. My parents are no longer with us, and I have no wife or children. In my life, I only ever interacted with clients, so I thought, 'Surely no one would want to come and talk to me?' That was my first thought, but then I had a change of heart: if someone does come, I must introduce this 'Namo Amituofo' to them. In the past, I only knew how to give people a smile; this time, I want to give them this 'Namo Amituofo.'

Thank you, Namo Amituofo. Thank you, Practitioner Su. Thank you to everyone at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. I am so fortunate to have come to the Western Dharma-Nature Land. I believe the world will be a better place because of the Buddha.

Namo Amituofo.

Lin Mei-tsun"