The Zhang Ben 张本

Zhang Ben was a native of Guanjin (now Wuyi County, Hebei Province) during the Jin and Yuan dynasties. His courtesy name was Minzhi, and his literary name was Neixiang.

According to Volume 6 of A Study of the Origins of Changchun Taoism, Zhang Ben and Master Li Zhenchang (a revered Taoist master with the title "Zhenren," meaning "True Person") were roommates when they were young.

Zhang Ben was skilled in composing poetry and ci (a classical Chinese poetic form). In the ninth year of the Zhengda era (1232) of the Jin Dynasty, he was sent as an envoy to the northern regions (controlled by the Mongol forces) in his capacity as a Hanlin Academician. The Mongol army detained him in the camp of Prince Cao; thereafter, Zhang Ben concealed his identity, became a Taoist monk (referred to as "Huangguan," a term for Taoist monks derived from their yellow headgear), and resided in Changchun Palace.

Zhang Ben was proficient in dazhuan (large seal script, an ancient form of Chinese calligraphy) and bafen shu (an archaic calligraphic style between seal script and clerical script). His poems and ci works carried a strong antique charm.

At that time, Li Zhenchang was in charge of the Quanzhen School; Zhang Ben served and respected him as he had in their youth.

Later, Zhang Ben traveled to Jinan, where he passed away.