View source for Zhang Daoling

{{Short description|2nd century Chinese Taoist leader}}
{{family name hatnote|[[Zhang (surname)|Zhang]]|lang=Chinese}}
{{Other people|Zhang Ling}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = 
| image              = Zhang Daoling, by Ren Xiong and Cai Zhaochu (cropped).jpg
| caption            = Zhang Daoling, as illustrated by [[Ren Xiong]] and engraved by Cai Zhaochu
| birth_name         = Zhang Ling
| birth_date         = February 22, 34 (traditionally)
| death_date         = October 10, 156 (traditionally, aged 121–122)
| death_place        = [[Mount Qingcheng]]
| other_names        = Fuhao ([[courtesy name]])
| known              = Founder of [[Way of the Five Pecks of Rice]]<br />Founder of religious [[Taoism]]
| occupation         = Religious leader<br />Ruler of Zhang Han
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| title     = Zhang Daoling
| t         = {{linktext|張|道|陵}}
| s         = {{linktext|张|道|陵}}
|showflag   = p
| p         = Zhāng Dàolíng
| w         = Chang<sup>1</sup> Tao<sup>4</sup>-ling<sup>2</sup>
| altname   = Zhang Ling ([[birth name]])
| t2        = {{linktext|張|陵}}
| s2        = {{linktext|张|陵}}
| p2        = Zhāng Líng
| w2        = Chang<sup>1</sup> Ling<sup>2</sup>
| altname3  = Zhang Fuhan ([[courtesy name]])
| t3        = {{linktext|張|輔|漢}} 
| s3        = {{linktext|张|辅|汉}}
| p3        = Zhāng Fǔhàn
| w3        = Chang<sup>1</sup> Fu<sup>3</sup>-han<sup>4</sup>
}}
[[File:Zhang Daoling.jpg|thumb|left|Zhang Daoling as pictured in ''Myths and Legends of China'' by [[E. T. C. Werner]]]]
{{Infobox Chinese
| title     = Celestial Master Zhang
| t         = {{linktext|張|天|師}}
| s         = {{linktext|张|天|師}}
|showflag   = p
| p         = Zhāng Tiānshī
| w         = Chang<sup>1</sup> T'ien<sup>1</sup>-shih<sup>1</sup>
| altname   = Ancestral Celestial Master
| t2        = {{linktext|祖|天|師}}
| s2        = {{linktext|祖|天|师}}
| p2        = Zǔ Tiānshī
| w2        = Tsu<sup>3</sup> T'ien<sup>1</sup>-shih<sup>1</sup>
| altname3  = [[Zhengyi Dao|Zhengyi]] [[Zhenren]]
| c3        = {{linktext|正|一|真|人}}
| p3        = Zhèngyī Zhēnrén
| w3        = Cheng<sup>4</sup>-i<sup>1</sup> Chen<sup>1</sup>-jen<sup>2</sup>
| l3        = [[Zhenren|True Man]] of the [[Zhengyi Dao|Orthodox Unity]]
}}
'''Zhang Daoling''' ({{zhi|張道陵}}, traditionally February 22, 34{{snd}}October 10, 156), [[birth name]] '''Zhang Ling''' ({{zhi|張陵}}), [[courtesy name]] '''Fuhan''' ({{zhi|輔漢}}), was a Chinese [[Taoist]] religious leader who lived during the [[Han dynasty#Eastern Han (25–220 AD)|Eastern Han dynasty]]. He founded the [[Way of the Five Pecks of Rice]] [[millenarianism|millenarian movement]], and established a [[theocracy|theocratic]] state. The [[Way of the Celestial Masters]] grew out of those beginnings, and so Zhang is considered the founder of religious Taoism by scholars and is venerated as such by followers of [[Zhengyi Dao]].<!-- No citations are required in the article lead per [[MOS:LEADCITE]], as long as the content is cited in the article body, as it should be. Do not add missing-citation tags like {{cn}} to the lead. If necessary, {{not verified in body}} can be used, or the content removed. -->

His son [[Zhang Heng (Taoist)| Zhang Heng]] ({{zhi|[[:zh:張衡 道教|張衡]]}}) and grandson [[Zhang Lu (Han dynasty)|Zhang Lu]] inherited leadership of the movement and state. Also known as '''Celestial Master Zhang''' ({{zhi|張天師}}), '''Ancestral Celestial Master''' ({{zhi|祖天師}}) or '''[[Zhengyi Dao|Zhengyi]] [[Zhenren]]''' ({{zhi|正一真人}}), Zhang is sometimes pictured riding on a tiger. In some Taoist sects, Zhang, along with [[Ge Xuan]], Xu Xun ({{zhi|[[:zh: 許遜|許遜]]}}) and Sa Shoujian ({{zhi|[[:zh:薩守堅|薩守堅]]}}), are called the "Four Celestial Masters" ({{zhi|四大天師}}).

==Biography==
{{Taoism}}
The details of the life of the historical figure Zhang Daoling are obscure; most of the information about him comes from later scripture and hagiography. According to these, Zhang traced his ancestral home to [[Feng County, Jiangsu]], and was said to be a descendant of [[Zhang Liang (Western Han)|Zhang Liang]]. He was born in the tenth year of the ''Jianwu'' era during the reign of [[Emperor Guangwu of Han]].<ref name="張道陵生卒年">{{Cite book|author1=[[瞿海源]]|editor=|title=《重修臺灣省通志‧卷三‧住民志‧宗教篇（第一冊）》|location=[[Republic of China]]|publisher=[[Taiwan Historica]]|date=30 April 1992|pages=40－41|isbn=9789570007381|accessdate=|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qBRhEAAAQBAJ&dq=%E5%8D%B3%E8%80%81%E5%90%9B%E4%B8%8B%E9%99%8D+%E4%BB%A5%E7%9B%9F%E6%88%90%E6%B3%95&pg=PT51|language=zh|quote=正乙派開祖。據臺灣道士所傳「道教源流」云：漢天師諱道陵，字漢輔，沛豐邑人，留侯子房八代嫡孫大順之長子。光武建武十年正月望日生，七歲讀道德經，五千言二篇，十遍而達其旨。永和四年生辰，獲丹書秘訣，遂於鶴鳴山修煉。漢安元年壬午正月望日午時，感金闕后聖玄元道君，即老君下降，以盟成法篆，三五斬邪劍，都功板卷鑲授之。遂能服丹載魁罡，立治庭。而後太上授傳「三清眾經九百三十六卷，符錄丹霞秘訣七十二卷，並製頂冠道服等物賜之，。至桓帝永壽年間，屢賜此經並五斗真經。至永泰二年丙申九月九日，居間州雲臺山，忽太上遣使授此經玉册賜之三天扶教輔元大法天師正一靜應顯祐真君之號。}}</ref> He started reading the ''[[Tao Te Ching]]'' at a young age and studied in the [[Taixue]] (Imperial Academy) before. He served as a magistrate in Jiangzhou, Ba Commandery (present-day [[Chongqing]]) during the reign of [[Emperor Ming of Han]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=8th July, 2020: 張道陵 Zhang Dao Ling – Purple Cloud|url=https://purplecloudinstitute.com/8th-july-2020-%e5%bc%b5%e9%81%93%e9%99%b5-zhang-dao-ling/|access-date=2020-10-08|language=en-AU}}</ref>

Zhang later retired and led a reclusive life at Mount Beimang, where he practiced taoist methods of achieving [[longevity]]. When invited to serve as a ''boshi'' (equivalent of a present-day professor) in the Imperial Academy, he claimed that he was ill. [[Emperor He of Han]] summoned him thrice to serve as the ''Taifu'' (Imperial Tutor) but he refused again.{{Citation needed|date=February 2013}}

According to [[hagiography|hagiographies]] compiled in approximately 400 C.E., in 142 C.E. the deity Taishang Laojun (a deified [[Laozi]]) revealed to Zhang on Mount Heming the "Doctrine of the Orthodox One [Resting On] the Authority of the Alliance" ({{zh|p=zhengyi mengwei dao}}), and bestowed upon him the title Celestial Master.<ref name="encyclopedia of religion"/><ref name="Woolf2007">{{cite book|author=Greg Woolf|title=Ancient civilizations: the illustrated guide to belief, mythology, and art|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=94NuSg3tlsgC&q=Zhang+Daoling|year=2007|publisher=Barnes & Noble|isbn=978-1-4351-0121-0|page=218}}</ref> The deity warned that plagues, beasts, and the demons of the Three Offices and Six Heavens of the underworld were due to be released upon humankind, and that only 240,000 people would be chosen as survivors and "seed people" ({{zh|p=zhongmin}}) to populate the new age, the era of Great Peace.<ref>Kohn, Livia. ''Daoism Handbook''. Leiden: Brill, 2000. pp. 264–266.</ref>

Zhang then endeavored to reform supposedly degenerate religious practices. After gathering numerous followers, he started a health cult that advocated certain longevity practices, recorded in books which have been lost. He founded a theocratic state in Sichuan organized into 24 parishes, later 28, which outsiders called the Way of Five Pecks of Rice, after a tax of that amount levied on followers.<ref name="encyclopedia of religion">Robinet, Isabelle. "Zhang Daoling". in Jones, Lindsay ed. ''Encyclopedia of Religion''. 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. p. 9954.</ref>

A major change instituted by the new Covenant was the rejection of food and animal sacrifices. According to Zhang, the updated teachings of Laozi included the first true Taoist religious pantheon as distinguished from the prior ancient religion of [[China]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2013}} The ''[[Xiang'er]]'', a commentary on the ''Tao Te Ching'' preserved today in a sixth-century manuscript, is traditionally ascribed to Zhang Daoling's authorship and even if not his work may reflect his teachings.<ref>Bokenkamp, Stephen R. ''Early Daoist Scriptures''. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997. pp.29–148. (includes full, annotated translation of the text)</ref>

Zhang is said to have died on [[Mount Qingcheng]] in 156 during the reign of [[Emperor Huan of Han]] at the purported age of 123.<ref name="張道陵生卒年" /> However, it is also said that Zhang did not die but ascended in broad daylight (''Xiandao''). Zhang reportedly disappeared on the day of his death, leaving nothing behind but his clothes.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Asia: a concise history|last=Meyer |first=Milton Walter|date=1997|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=0847680681|pages=90|oclc=33276519}}</ref>

==Descendants==

His descendants have held the title of [[List of Celestial Masters|Celestial Masters]] up to the present day, with the most recent claimants of the title currently residing in Mainland China and Taiwan. They also held the title of {{lang|zh|正一嗣教眞人}} {{transliteration|zh|ISO|zhèng yī sìjiào zhēnrén}}.<ref name="BrunnertHagelstrom2013 3">{{cite book|last1=Brunnert |first1=Ippolit Semenovich |first2=Hagelstrom |last2=V. V |last3=Kolesov |first3=Nikolai Fedorovich |last4=Bielchenko |first4=Andrei Terentevich |last5=Moran |first5=Edward Eugene|title=Present Day Political Organization of China|url=https://archive.org/details/presentdaypoliti00brun|orig-date=1911|publisher=Routledge|OL=7229838M|pages=494–495|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Celestial Masters]]
*[[Way of the Five Pecks of Rice]]
*[[Way of the Celestial Masters]]
*[[Zhengyi Dao]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}
{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhang, Daoling}}
[[Category:156 deaths]]
[[Category:Chinese hermits]]
[[Category:Chinese religious leaders]]
[[Category:Han dynasty Taoists]]
[[Category:Longevity myths]]
[[Category:Taoist immortals]]
[[Category:Taoist religious leaders]]
[[Category:Way of the Celestial Masters]]