The Scholar Trapped in Ink and Time

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Xu Muhong, who sought Chao Du through the twelve rays of Buddha-light emitted by Practitioner Su 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 approximately 350 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on March 6, 2026.

Xu Muhong speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am dressed in my long blue scholar's robes, my hands dancing through the air as if I am still composing the poetry that defined my life.

My name is Xu Muhong, and I was a scholar during the Qing Dynasty. In those days, the imperial examination system was the path to glory, and I was known as a poet and scholar in the Taihu Lake region. When I was young, my family was desperately poor, and we had no money for my education. My parents, seeing my hunger for knowledge, recommended me to the local magistrate to serve as a page boy for his son. It was a humble beginning, but it gave me the chance to sit in on the lessons taught to the magistrate's son. The teachers were masters of their craft, and I soaked up every word. That experience laid the foundation for everything I would later achieve.

A Life of Literary Ambition

Eventually, my family managed to scrape together enough money to support my formal studies. I never forgot those early days of listening from the shadows; that foundation was my greatest asset. I passed the imperial examinations and became a Jinshi, eventually receiving an official post in the Taihu region. I loved writing poetry more than anything else; it was the vessel for my deepest emotions and the expression of my soul.

Once I became an official, I felt a deep responsibility toward children who, like me, were born into poverty without the means to pursue an education. I frequently reached out to influential people in the region to secure funding for these children, giving them the chance to study and perhaps one day achieve their own success. Seeing these children gain the opportunity to change their lives was, without a doubt, the most meaningful work I did during my time in office. Sometimes, I would even provide them with personal guidance and tutoring. It was my greatest joy.

The Downfall of a Scholar

However, despite my dedication to my duties, I had a fatal flaw: I was a man of intense, unchecked emotion. I became infatuated with a famous gifted lady of the time. I exhausted every possible method to get close to her, to win her heart, but in the end, I could not make her mine. This failure left me in a state of profound, lingering sorrow. Many of my friends tried to counsel me, asking why I would fixate on one flower when my status allowed me to marry a woman of noble birth. I could not explain it—I was simply unable to pull myself away. My obsession grew so deep that I broke off a pre-arranged marriage, bringing great shame upon the woman I was betrothed to. She was the daughter of a high-ranking official, and she harboured a deep, burning resentment toward me. She eventually seized the opportunity to take her revenge, submitting a report to the Emperor that ruined me. I was thrown into prison, where I languished in misery until I died in obscurity.

Imprisoned in Ink

Before I died, I thought back to the days when I was in my prime, full of spirit and literary talent. In my final moments, my consciousness became so fused with my own work that I became the very calligraphy I had written. My spirit remained trapped within the space of that ink for three hundred and fifty years. I could not leave. I was a prisoner of my own creation, drifting in a void of regret and attachment. It was not until Practitioner Su shone the Buddha-light upon me that the space I occupied was finally opened. I rushed into that light, and it brought me here, to the Western Dharma-Nature Land at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia.

A New Path to the Western Pure Land

Every day, I work hard to listen to Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks. Here in the Dharma-Nature Land, I am able to witness the magnificent scenes of Chao Du performed by Practitioner Su. The guidance that Namo Amituofo provides through the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is helping to soothe the suffering in my heart. After listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma, I have slowly begun to understand the Law of Cause, Condition, and Effect. Everything in this world is truly illusory and marked by impermanence; it is not worth clinging to. My spirit felt as though it were in a prison cell for centuries—it was agonizing.

Now, I know that my true destination is the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Amidst the continuous chanting of 'Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo,' I, Xu Muhong, have made a vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land. I hope that if I am ever granted a human body again, I will cherish the opportunity and, like Practitioner Su, use it to save beings.

I am filled with gratitude to Namo Amituofo, and I am deeply grateful to Practitioner Su.

Namo Amituofo."