The Scientist's Journey to the Pure Land

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Qian Xuesen, the renowned Father of Chinese Aerospace, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This account reflects upon his life and his transition to the Pure Land approximately ten years after his passing. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on March 30, 2026.

Qian Xuesen speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Qian Xuesen. This name, when spoken, may come as a profound shock to the vast population of the Chinese people. It has been over a decade since I departed the human world, yet I have now undergone a complete transformation of identity, arriving here at the Western Land of Dharma Nature at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. The speed and nature of this change are truly overwhelming—it is simply inconceivable. In my previous life, the Dharma held no place in my existence. While I did not entirely deny the existence of the Buddha in the world, during my time in a human body, I truly lacked a deep affinity with the Buddha. I dedicated my entire life to my country and to scientific research. To me, every mathematical formula was a fundamental tool for uncovering the truths of the universe; as for Buddhist teachings, I viewed them as a product of the human spiritual world, something distant and entirely unrelated to my own path.

A Scientific Mind Meets the Inconceivable

For over a decade after my passing, I lingered at my alma mater, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, watching generation after generation of students contentedly conducting their various experiments. It was during this time that my existence underwent a cataclysmic change. As a spirit, I suddenly felt a massive, brilliant light radiating into the laboratory where I was lingering. It was then that I realised the Dharma can explain phenomena that many scientists simply cannot grasp. What people see with their physical eyes is limited—it is restricted by the physical body. They cannot truly break through these bodily limitations to understand the existence of various spiritual spaces or the truth behind everything that occurs within them. It was only when I became a spirit that I began to develop this awareness. I finally understood that when Practitioner Su says the Dharma is the ultimate 'high technology,' it is a statement of profound insight.

The name Qian Xuesen is regarded by the Chinese people as that of a genius hero, a national hero who defended the country. People have painted a beautiful picture of me, and I am truly humbled and feel I hardly deserve such praise. I spent my life diligently studying the aerospace industry; this was not a personal pursuit, but a responsibility entrusted to me by the nation—it was my life's mission. Science was my greatest passion. No matter when or where, as long as I had a scrap of paper and a pen in my hand, I would joyfully perform countless scientific calculations.

The Path of Science and the Burden of Responsibility

When I was in my twenties, I became one of the recipients of the Tsinghua University government scholarship to study in the United States, and from that moment, I embarked on a journey to study abroad. Throughout that time, I had few other thoughts; I knew my motherland needed this knowledge, and I hoped that after completing my studies, I could return home to serve the people and the country to the best of my ability. This precious knowledge was the focus of my life. As a young man full of vigour, I had infinite longing for the future and for the subjects I studied. I earned my master's degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and later went to the California Institute of Technology, where I obtained my doctorate a few years later. My mentor was the renowned aerospace professor Theodore von Kármán. Through our many collaborations and studies, I made significant contributions to the aerospace industry of that era.

Fluid mechanics and aerodynamics were subjects that had fascinated me since my undergraduate years. The field of aerospace, which was then largely unfamiliar to the general Chinese public, ignited a powerful interest in me. The world above and the trajectories within the sky can have a profound impact on human life, yet people at the time were largely unaware of this. They did not know that in this vast expanse, there were many fields for scientists to explore and practise, and that these layers of practice could provide security for the nation. This was a vague concept in my young mind, but to truly understand it thoroughly, only the United States could satisfy my longing for science and my desire to learn at that time. In the eyes of the Americans, I was simply a scientist. People often forgot that I was Chinese, because all the research I conducted in the United States was funded by resources provided by the American government and academic institutions. To others, I might have appeared to be a quintessential American intellectual, but the reality was quite different.

The Choice to Return Home

I was deeply aware that in the research of aerospace and missiles, I could not truly trust the American authorities. By 'trust,' I mean that if a country could use this knowledge to defend itself rather than to endanger the safety of the world, then I would consider that work worth developing in the United States. However, I had already strongly sensed that the United States was an expansionist military power that would actively threaten other nations to consolidate its own military hegemony, which posed a threat to world peace and security. From the day I returned to my motherland, I told myself that all the knowledge I had acquired in my life would be dedicated to the construction of my country and the lives of its people. Although my field was primarily aviation, supplemented by various other disciplines, this did not mean I was distant from the lives of the common people. When I returned to China, I had already experienced decades of academic life, most of which had been spent in the United States.

With a clear understanding of my motherland, I could confidently conduct research on the 'Two Bombs, One Satellite' project on Chinese soil. This was because the Chinese government guaranteed that it would not initiate the use of nuclear weapons against any country, nor would it launch nuclear weapons against countries that did not possess them. With such a guarantee, my conscience was at peace. I knew that research in this area would have a massive impact on world safety. If scientific technology could be used for good, it would indeed help world peace; but if it could not be used properly, the resulting harm would be endless, and countless lives would be in our hands. Researching missiles, nuclear bombs, and satellites—these things, in the eyes of the people at the time, were perhaps a bit distant from the era, advanced products beyond the imagination of the average Chinese person, especially after the war when people were generally struggling to have enough to eat or wear. Some even scoffed at such inventions, believing that they were the very reason for war.

A Foundation for Peace

The national leaders at the time, myself included, actually understood that if China wanted to truly stand on the world stage and no longer be bullied by the great powers, the development of the 'Two Bombs, One Satellite'—the atomic bomb, the missile, and the artificial satellite—was absolutely unavoidable. These inventions were not meant to incite war, but precisely to prevent it. Everyone should be able to understand this logic, should they not?

If China did not possess its own nuclear deterrent, then such a vast country, if it remained in a position of weakness in the military and aerospace sectors, would easily be attacked by foreign powers. Because people knew China lacked the ability to resist, they could launch various attacks or engage in plunder. But once China possessed the powerful foundation of nuclear weapons, foreigners could no longer pose too many military threats to China, because they knew that any aggression would be returned upon themselves.

Therefore, the greatest undertaking of my life—leading the research and launch of China's 'Two Bombs, One Satellite'—was a project of immense significance for the security of all Chinese people. Once I understood this, I resolutely threw myself into this research. Those decades passed by incredibly quickly. Although I lived to be ninety-six, I always felt that my time was spent in a very fulfilling and rapid manner. A person's life truly passes by quickly in the midst of endless research. Such a life has always been one that I found deeply satisfying and happy. Although the process was fraught with danger and I experienced many near-death situations—including when I returned to my motherland from the United States—and even after returning to the soil of my country, I lived a life of hardship that most people could not imagine.

After returning to the motherland, I threw myself into the most fundamental research work without a moment's rest. At that time, China's equipment in this area was very backward, and everything had to start from zero. Whether it was construction or cultivating talent who could participate in the project, it was all crucial for the long-term development of the country. Therefore, I was sent to the deserts of the Great Northwest to conduct the precursors for multiple nuclear and missile tests. This series of tests was not easy, because of the primitive conditions and equipment. We relied on the help of many people who built things with their own hands, and only then did we complete many vast construction projects.

People often wonder why I would accept such treatment and live in such a harsh environment. At the time, if I could have continued to live in the United States and become a professor at the California Institute of Technology, with my age and qualifications, there would have been plenty of room for me to excel. Although I was a professor at the time and held permanent residency in the United States, I have said before that I never forgot my heart's desire to serve my motherland. Furthermore, the actions of the American government in the realm of world security often served as a negative example, and I always believed that it was not a place where one could reside for long or a place that could be trusted."

"Therefore, I took the opportunity at that time to return to my motherland. Although I was placed under house arrest for five years there and endured a great deal of humiliation, my fanatical love for science and my drive for research far outweighed the negative impact of any external environment. I would not let these events affect my commitment to research and learning, because all changes are merely temporary. If you were to ask me what exists eternally, the me of that time would have answered: 'Science.' I held science in the highest regard, believing it to be the fundamental way to resolve all issues of public livelihood. Throughout my life, whenever I faced a challenge, I approached it with a strictly scientific spirit. At the end of the day, Qian Xuesen was, through and through, a man of science, a scientist. In the context of Chinese society at that time, although the government could not provide me with the same treatment or equipment support as the United States, I always maintained firm confidence and positive thinking in my heart. I always believed that the motherland was the place that gave birth to me and raised me, a place where I could pursue such studies and research without worry. Watching the various sorrows that the motherland suffered over those hundred years, I, even while far away in America, felt deeply saddened in my heart. I thought that when the country became stable, I would be able to return to the motherland and contribute the knowledge and intellectual power I possessed to myself and to the country.

A Simple Life of Service

In truth, I was simply a very plain scientist and educator. I did not have deep attachments to the various lofty titles people gave me, nor to things outside of science. Wherever I was needed, I went. If the country needed me and assigned me to a certain area, I would do my best to cooperate and contribute to the peace and stability of the nation. I was always very satisfied in my heart; if I could truly use what I had learned to foster the development of the country's stability and peace, that was truly something to be happy about.

The hardships involved were, in fact, only hardships from an external perspective; they were not truly difficult for me. Now, in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, having changed my status, I often hear Practitioner Su mention in his Dharma talks that one should not care about any feelings or thoughts of this body, because the body is inherently false. When I heard this principle, I suddenly realised that I had a very profound experience with this during my work in the Great Northwest. Regarding any reactions my body had in that harsh environment, although I would indeed feel tired or exhausted at the time, because I had such a powerful passion and drive for scientific research, I rarely spent time on things other than science. Thus, any physical sensations I had were quickly overshadowed by my fanaticism for research.

The Passion of a Scientist

Haha! Perhaps this fanatical drive for scientific research was also just another form of physical sensation! I am not entirely sure, but I only know this: everything I did was something I loved, and most importantly, it was something that could bring benefits to the country and its people. Since that was the case, there was no need to overthink anything; I just went ahead and did it. In my life, I truly did not think much about things beyond this. Because once a decision was made that something was a good thing, I would boldly go ahead and do it; if it was not something positive, I would appropriately distance myself from it. This was the life principle I followed clearly throughout my life, and there was nothing that required too much exploration or attachment.

My later years were still spent in great satisfaction and simplicity. For the various honours the country bestowed upon me and the praise the people gave me, I accepted everything with a heart of gratitude, but I never felt that I was particularly great. I felt that everything I did was a mission entrusted to me by the era. Because I possessed such natural talent, it was naturally very suitable for me to engage in this profession, and there was nothing to be arrogant about. In any case, I did my best to do what I could, and I ensured that on the path of cultivating talent for the country's future, the aerospace field I studied would have a continuous stream of talent to serve the nation. Then, I could retire with peace of mind. I also hope that the country can continue to walk steadily in this regard and will not actively launch nuclear weapons for the sake of any profit.

Lingering in the Laboratory

After I sadly departed from the human world, because I was too attached to my scientific research during my lifetime, my spirit continued to linger in the human world. I continued to live in all the laboratories and research institutes where I had once stayed, continuing to watch the next generation of people conduct the same research and learning as I did, and continuing to observe the direction the country was taking in this regard. I never truly left the field I had studied; it was like that before I died, and it was like that after I died. It was just that for the ten-plus years after my death, I did the same things, over and over again, without feeling bored.

Then, one day, more than ten years after my death, I was still wandering around my alma mater, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, watching generations of students contentedly conducting various experiments. I felt very comforted in my heart, but it was at this moment that my life underwent a earth-shattering change. As a spirit, I suddenly felt a huge light shining into the laboratory where I was, and I saw many beings who were spirits like me, one by one, walking toward the light.

Entering the Buddha's Light

So, I also very naturally walked toward this light, because this light brought a kind of stable power; this was what I could feel at that time. Entering this light, I was instantly reborn and arrived in another world—the world I mentioned earlier, the Western Land of Dharma Nature at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. This is a spiritual world, which is exactly suitable for spirits like me to reside in. But what is special is that this is a Buddha's world. My connection with the Buddha during my lifetime was almost non-existent, yet after death, I was actually brought by the Buddha into the Buddha's world to enjoy peace and happiness, haha. After I began to deeply understand the Buddha's teachings—that is, in these past few weeks—I have been bathing in the Buddha-light every day, following Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su to learn. Listening to sutras and hearing the Dharma is my daily homework, and I have already begun to learn how to perform prostrations to the Buddha.

This is something I never thought I would do in my ninety-six-plus years of life, because at that time, I was a scientific fanatic, and I could not accept or believe in the concepts and beliefs of religion at all. Because what I believed in was science; in my eyes, science and religion were things that were completely opposite. But upon arriving at the Western Land of Dharma Nature, everything became very clear. The Buddha's teachings can explain many phenomena that scientists cannot explain. What people see with their physical eyes is limited to what the physical eyes can see, and they cannot truly break through the limitations of this body to understand the fact that various spiritual spaces exist, nor the truth of everything that happens within them. It was only when I became a spirit that I began to have awareness in this regard. It turns out that the principle Practitioner Su speaks of—that the Dharma is the ultimate 'high technology'—is so insightful.

The Truth of the Universe

In the past, regarding the four words 'birth, aging, sickness, death,' I might have had brief doubts, wondering why people must experience such a process. But based on the definitions of birth, aging, sickness, and death I had learned in the past, I believed that this was just a natural physiological process that people must go through, so I accepted this fact without much thought. Now I know that all of this is so absurd. Based on my past level of fanaticism for science, I remained deeply obsessed with the knowledge I had learned and my observations, without having a profound realisation of the spiritual world around me. But now, arriving at the Western Land of Dharma Nature, it is truly a great turnaround. I calm my heart to listen to the sutras and hear the Dharma; the Buddha's teachings explained by Practitioner Su use simple and uncomplicated language, and every word and sentence is so easy to understand and captures the heart. As I listen, I have also begun to realise many very interesting principles; these principles that I did not know during my lifetime are now all becoming clear one by one.

People are inherently one; it is because this world has the limitations of the physical body that people cannot believe that the body is false and temporary, thereby ignoring the reality and preciousness of the spiritual world. I smile happily in front of the Buddha, having walked a lifetime as a scientist, yet I am still able to return to the Buddha's seat, listen to the sutras, hear the Dharma, and understand the true Universal Principles, Truth, and the Right Way. All of this is so precious and so hard to come by! After deeply understanding Practitioner Su's background, I cannot help but sigh that Practitioner Su is the most top-tier scientist in humanity today. His vision is by no means limited to the realms of the physical body and science; many things can only be truly understood after one has realised one's true nature and attained Buddhahood, reaching a state like Practitioner Su's, to be able to discern the Universal Principles, Truth, and the Right Way. In terms of the Buddha's teachings, this is the rule that all things fundamentally follow; only by truly being able to follow this natural rule can people elevate their wisdom and step by step walk the path of realising one's true nature and attaining Buddhahood.

And the word 'Buddha' has also undergone a different change in my heart. I will no longer think of the Buddha's teachings as rigid and stereotypical principles like religion, but will treat the Buddha's teachings as a natural law that all people should follow. Attaining Buddhahood is also a path that everyone should naturally walk, because everyone has Buddha-nature in their original nature. This principle truly shocked my heart; it turns out that I, Qian Xuesen, also have Buddha-nature and have a day when I can attain Buddhahood. Compared to other religions I have known, this is truly a very different and major breakthrough in thinking." Namo Amituofo.

"Haha! I still speak of this matter with the tone of a scientist, but in my heart, I know where the Truth of the Buddha’s teachings lies. It is not something that can be summarized in a few words by the scientific community. The depth and profundity of the Buddha’s teachings are truly something everyone should have the opportunity to encounter in this life, for that is our fundamental essence, the home to which everyone will eventually return. After understanding the truth of all this knowledge, I, Qian Xuesen, also have an incomparable yearning for the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I know that it is the Buddha-land personally built by Namo Amituofo, and it is certainly my future home. Being able to chant this one sentence, 'Namo Amituofo,' is a matter of great blessings."

The Ultimate Science: Beyond the Physical Realm

"Being able to know the Buddha and the truth of this universe makes my heart feel more grounded and at ease than ever before. I, Qian Xuesen, sincerely wish for the next generation of students in China to have the opportunity to know the true Buddha’s teachings. All the profound knowledge in the scientific world, no matter how deep or interesting, cannot compare to the reality of the true Universal Principles and the righteous path. I am grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for giving me this opportunity. I, Qian Xuesen, have transformed from a man of science into a practitioner of the Buddha’s teachings; this is a transformation that brings me great joy."

The True High Technology of Chao Du

"After arriving in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, everything I see has become broader and more far-reaching. I am deeply in awe of Practitioner Su’s skills in awakening beings and saving the world. The mind-capacity of Practitioner Su is vast; it is absolutely not for the sake of one person that he performs the work of saving the world, but truly for all beings to leave suffering behind and gain happiness, continuously performing Chao Du. I witnessed with my own eyes Practitioner Su’s countless manifestations performing great Chao Du on the land of China. In an instant, he could save many, many beings trapped in various spaces, guiding them into the light to be reborn in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. I was saved by such a Chao Du at that time, and the number of beings saved alongside me was truly immeasurable—so, so many. I doubt there is a second person in the whole world with such skills! This is the true high technology! I could never have believed this when I used my physical eyes, but now everything is presented clearly before my eyes. Even my own spirit was saved in this way, so there is no more doubt; everything is real and sublime. I, Qian Xuesen, have great admiration for the Buddha’s teachings, especially the Buddhist education taught by Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. Having lived my whole life with a lifestyle centered entirely on science, I never expected that something would appear at this moment to overturn my ideas; I could never have imagined it before. Therefore, if one were to say that Buddhist studies is the most scientific discipline, I can now fully believe and agree with it."

A New Path of Learning

"Now, I, Qian Xuesen, also want to learn these great skills of saving the world. I hope it is not too late. I also want to do something for the vast number of young students, and only the Buddha’s teachings are the most ultimate and perfect education. At this moment, as I speak these words with satisfaction in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I also hope that all those who worship worldly science and high technology can have an awakening, knowing what is fleeting and what is long-lasting and real. The current Qian Xuesen is a proper practitioner of the Buddha’s teachings, and this kind of 'high technology' is what I most want to learn at present."

"I am grateful to Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su for the tremendous shock they have brought to the world. On behalf of all people in the scientific community, I say thank you to the Buddha and Practitioner Su!"

"Namo Amituofo."

"Qian Xuesen"