This is a record of an interview with Zhang Wencai, who sought deliverance after the massive fire at Wang Fuk Court in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong. He now resides in the at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. This account reflects upon his life and his transition to the Pure Land. Recorded by the chief writer, Fa Ning, on December 18, 2025.
Zhang Wencai speaks:
"'Bang! Bang! Bang!' The frantic pounding on my door jolted me from a deep, hungover sleep. I was lying there, completely naked under my quilt, and I reached out blindly to grab my alarm clock. 'What time is it? What on earth is happening?' My heart was still heavy, aching from the recent breakup with my girlfriend. I couldn't stop replaying the scene in my mind—why did she have to treat me like that? I kept thinking about her cold, distant expression and the utter indifference she showed when she ended things. It hurt, truly, but I suppose that is just the way life goes. In this modern age, relationships seem to be nothing more than a cycle of coming together and falling apart. I couldn't demand anything more from her, yet the pain lingered. I had been drowning my sorrows in pop songs that romanticised heartbreak, dissecting every lyric to feel the sting of the separation. The more I listened, the more I felt it. It is no wonder those songs are so popular; there is a certain truth to that misery, isn't there?"
A Writer's Perspective on Love and Loss
"I had spent the previous night drinking until I was completely intoxicated, and I was still nursing a terrible hangover in my home at Wang Fuk Court. My name is Zhang Wencai, and I am a writer. Submitting manuscripts and seeing my work published—that was my life. Most of my writing focused on the complexities of romance, or to put it more bluntly, the trivial dramas between men and women. As a professional writer of love stories, I have to admit that most of these modern affairs are just variations of the same old 'spring sorrow and autumn melancholy.' I could write about them in a way that was moving, even melodramatic, imbuing them with layers of profound meaning. But if you were to compare these petty heartbreaks to the struggles of war refugees, they would seem utterly insignificant. Yet, that is the beauty of literature. How to write something captivating without falling into clichés—that was the true test of my skill as a writer."
"I used to mock myself, saying, 'I write so much about love that my own love life has become dreadfully boring; there is nothing new under the sun.' And yet, when my girlfriend actually left me, I was completely blindsided by the impact. It was then that I finally understood why the subject of love has been so impossible to resolve throughout history. Humans are always looking for something to lean on. We all have our weaknesses, and we all have secrets we would rather keep hidden. Yet, paradoxically, we yearn for someone who knows everything about us—someone who truly understands, loves, accepts, and forgives us, someone who will never abandon us. Everyone is like that. At least, everyone I have ever met in this life has been. So, returning to the ranks of the single was, in a way, a strange kind of education. Perhaps it is for the best. Isn't there a saying, 'A blessing in disguise'? I truly believe the next person will be better, and one day, I will meet the right one. Lost in these rambling thoughts, I finally put on my clothes and got up to see what was happening outside. I was never the type to be a friendly neighbour, and people rarely came to visit, so this was unusual."
The Flames of Reality
"When I opened my door, I saw that the far end of the floor was already engulfed in flames. The fire was massive, and many residents were already fleeing. I assume one of them must have been kind enough to knock on my door to warn me. A jolt of adrenaline surged through me. I thought, 'I have just managed to survive one of life's greatest hurdles, is the universe really not going to give me a chance to start over?' I bit my lip and immediately ran for my life. I didn't take a single thing with me—my apartment was full of alcohol, and I knew it would explode. I scrambled to find an exit, but every path I took seemed to lead to a dead end. The fire acted like a well-trained army, surrounding us from every direction. I died there, consumed by the flames, filled with regret. In my final moments, I wondered, 'I wonder if she will shed even a single tear for me?' Then, I immediately thought, 'Have I gone mad from writing too many love stories? How could I have such a ridiculous thought?'"
A Miraculous Rescue
"After I died, I became a sorrowful spirit wandering in that sea of fire. I kept searching for someone to keep me company, but I could find no one. I was trapped in a cycle, repeating the same movements over and over in the inferno. Suddenly, there was a deafening sound, accompanied by a massive golden light that seemed to split the heavens and the earth. It tore the sea of fire right down the middle. I was pulled by an intense force into that light, and in an instant, I arrived in a world of radiance and lotus flowers. The air was filled with a delicate, sweet fragrance. I found myself sitting on a giant lotus, bathed in that golden light. As a writer, I felt surprisingly calm. Looking at this inconceivable world, I thought that nothing should surprise me anymore—after all, this was a world so beautiful and extraordinary that I could never have imagined it in my wildest dreams."
"It was only after listening to the teachings in the Dharma-Nature Land that I realised it was and Practitioner Su who had saved us, the spirits who perished in the massive fire at Wang Fuk Court. That golden light was the Buddha-light of Namo Amituofo. I am so grateful to the Greatly Compassionate Namo Amituofo, and so grateful to the Greatly Compassionate Practitioner Su. When I was alive, I was not familiar with the Buddha, but I never expected that after death, I would be able to come to the very place where Namo Amituofo abides—the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Goombungee, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia."
Witnessing the Power of the Dharma
"People are always looking for something to rely on, but they do not realise that seeking externally is the root of all suffering. Everyone has Buddha-nature. Here in the Western Dharma-Nature Land, I see Practitioner Su working day and night to sentient beings. He uses what I call his ' Projection'—that is the name I gave to his ability. Practitioner Su’s countless Dharma bodies emerge from the crown of his head, spreading across the sky in every direction—east, west, south, north, above, and below—to launch rescue missions for suffering spirits. Every single Dharma body looks exactly like Practitioner Su. It is so dignified. It only takes a few words to describe, but to see it with your own eyes is truly a shocking, awe-inspiring sight! The 'technology' that Practitioner Su speaks of is not enough to describe just how advanced this truly is. Many spirits, upon seeing Practitioner Su’s skills, are just as dumbfounded as I was. Bathed in the Buddha-light, sitting on my colourful lotus seat, I have made a vow to learn Practitioner Su’s skills and, just like him, follow Namo Amituofo to save all boundless suffering sentient beings."
"I hope that all the friends who knew Zhang Wencai can come to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to see me. People spend their whole lives unable to let go of emotions, love, and relationships. But coming to this Pure Land and seeing Practitioner Su, I have witnessed that one can actually live without being entangled in these relationships. Instead, one can truly rely on oneself, rediscover one's true self, and become a Buddha who serves others joyfully without seeking any reward. Here, I have found a value to life that is completely different from anything I knew before. I am here at the Western Dharma-Nature Land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, and I hope you will all come to witness this for yourselves."
