Hu Xiang-qi was born in Taiwan. Her ancestors were natives of Shandong. Her parents were not religious. She and her siblings were all Christians. Before she was ten, every time she went by a monastery she enjoyed sniffing the smell of incense.  

When she went back to Taiwan from the United States in 1989, her younger sister taught her the Great Compassion Mantra, which she was able to recite immediately. She also began to recite the Heart Sutra and the ten small mantras. That was her initial encounter with Buddhism. Although she didn't really believe in it, she had wanted to ask some Dharma Masters to come to her house to speak the Dharma. The Dharma Masters told her, "It would be better to set up a Buddhist association and request Dharma as a part of this group." Consequently she established the Louisiana Buddhist Association in the garage of her house in New Orleans. She then invited nearby Dharma Masters to give Dharma talks.

In the summer of 1991, she received a packet of books of the Venerable Master's Dharma talks. She offhandedly began reading them before going to sleep. Typically, she would fall asleep as soon as she began to read at night. However, that night, she read until sunrise. She was curious and decided to pay the City a visit. She came and participated for one week in a Buddha recitation session in 1991 and took refuge with the Venerable Master. From then on, she began to circulate the Venerable Master's books and tapes. She came to the Buddha recitation session again in 1992 and got to hear the Venerable Master speak in person, after which she made a vow to follow him in studying Buddhism for the rest of her life. She observed the Leaving Home ceremony held at Long Beach Monastery in 1994. She had longings but didn't dare to think any more, fearing that they would erupt and become uncontrollable.  

On October 28,1999, she acquired a church building. The Buddhist Association finally had an official place! The association members re-furbished the place and personally made the simple yet elegant furniture and cushions. In November, they invited Bhikshus Heng Lai and Heng Lyu to visit. For Thanksgiving of 2000, they invited Bhikshunis Heng Liang, Heng Jen, and Heng Yiu to speak the Dharma and lead the Great Compassion Repentance. For Thanksgiving of 2001, they again invited Bhikshunis Heng Jen, Heng Jhuang, and Heng Bing to speak the Dharma and lead the Great Compassion Repentance. Many people attended those supreme feasts of Dharma.  

The Louisiana Buddhist Association was successfully established, and its members decided to invite Dharma Realm Buddhist Association to manage it. Guo-qi also decided to retire after her job was done. She moved to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas and stepped into Jyun Kang Vegetarian Cafe, where she now does whatever needs to be done, including chopping and washing vegetables, preparing ingredients for the cook, and so on. She considers it an opportunity to train herself and change her temperament. She knows that temper can block the spiritual path. Without taming one's temper and soften¨ing one's character, one cannot advance in one's spiritual practice.