The Zhang Qingye 张清夜

Zhang Qingye (1676–1763) was a native of Changzhou (now part of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province) in the early Qing Dynasty. His original given name was Zun, courtesy name Zihuan, and literary name Daoist Zimu.

In his youth, he was a zhusheng (a student preparing for the imperial civil service examinations in ancient China). Later, he traveled to Wudang Mountain and became a Taoist Priest under the guidance of Real Person Yu Taiyuan.

In the first year of the Yongzheng reign (1723), he went to Sichuan; in the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign (1729), he took charge of the affairs of Wuhou Shrine (the temple dedicated to Zhuge Liang).

In the eighth year of the Qianlong reign (1743), Xia Shao, the magistrate of Chengdu, renovated Qingyang Palace. Zhang Qingye recommended his disciple Wang Yicui to take charge of the palace’s affairs.

In the tenth year of the Qianlong reign (1745), he established the "Xuanzhong Ban" (a system of hanging bells and boards to regulate daily life and rituals) in Qingyang Palace, which provided accommodation and reception for Taoist monks from all over the country. Since then, Qingyang Palace has become a major conglin (a large-scale Taoist monastery that serves as a center for religious practice and gathering).

In the eleventh year of the Qianlong reign (1746), he wrote Xuanmen Jiebai (Precepts and Admonitions of the Taoist School). In this work, he argued that: "The Great Dao (Tao) originates from the fundamental ethical principles (gangchang); there is no Great Dao beyond these principles," and "Filial piety, fraternal respect, loyalty, and trustworthiness are the core tenets of the three religions (Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism); ritual propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame are indeed the fundamental pillars established by all sages."

He advocated the integration of the three religions. He held that: "The 5,000-character Tao Te Ching (Classic of the Way and Virtue) focuses on 'purity and tranquility' as its core; the 400-character Jin Dan Si Bai Zi (Four Hundred Words on the Golden Elixir) aims solely at 'upholding sincerity' as its essential pursuit." In the nineteenth year of the Qianlong reign (1754), he wrote Yin Fu Fa Mi (Exploring the Secrets of the Yin Fu Jing), in which he expounded on the inner alchemy theory of the Southern Sect of Taoism.

There was no original block-printed edition of this book. Later, Meng Wentong (a renowned modern Chinese scholar) compiled, collated, and revised it based on handwritten copies and the rare edition collected in Luo’s Guanmiao Studio. Zhang Qingye’s other works include Tandong Ji (Collection of Tandong).