Buddhist sutras bring 95-year-old Yunlin woman back from the dead

Want China Times, CNA and Staff Reporter 2014-11-24

Yang Chang Yueh-yun clapping on her "deathbed," Nov. 21. (Photo/ Hsu Su-hui)

A 95-year-old woman in Taiwan's southern county of Yunlin came back from the dead last week after her family played her recitations of a Buddhist sutra, the China Times, sister paper to Want China Times, reported Friday.

Yang Chang Yueh-yun, 95, was pronounced dead from multiple organ failure on Nov. 14 after being hospitalized for over 10 days, according to her son Yang Shun-wen.

She was then taken home, which funeral directors had made ready for a service. Recitations of a Buddhist sutra were played, in keeping with local religious tradition.

The next day, Yang's cousin decided to put earphones around her aunt and played her a different sutra, according to her family.

Yang Chang surprised her family when she started clapping and reciting the sutra about five minutes after a recording of the sutra was played.

Yang Chang surprised even more people when her son took her mother back to the hospital where she had stayed at the following day, to the utter astonishment of the doctor who had treated her.

On Thursday, members of a Buddhist group visited the old lady in the hospital. She greeted her visitors with smiles, while patients next to her said they felt amazed after she made conversation with them.