The Zhang Qingzhi 张清志

Zhang Qingzhi (? - 1325) was a native of Qianzhou (now part of Shaanxi Province) in the early Yuan Dynasty, and his Taoist literary name was Xuanyingzi.

He was originally a successor of Yue Dewen, the 8th Patriarch of the Zhen Dadao School (Zhendadao School, a major Taoist tradition in the Jin and Yuan dynasties). Tired of the hassle of receiving visits and currying favor from people both inside and outside the Taoist community, he retreated to Huashan (Mount Hua) to live in seclusion.

Within less than five years, the 9th Patriarch (Zhenren Zhao, Immortal Zhao), the 10th Patriarch (also Zhenren Zhao, Immortal Zhao), and the 11th Patriarch (Zheng Jinyuan) of the Zhendadao School passed away one after another, leaving the school without a leader. The imperial court valued Zhang Qingzhi’s reputation and true worth, so it sent envoys to find him. Reluctantly, Zhang Qingzhi had no choice but to succeed to the position of Patriarch. He traveled to the capital on foot and refused to ride in the official post carriage provided for him.

Zhang Qingzhi told the guards of the school, "Our tradition treasures compassion, frugality, and non-action (wu-wei). From now on, all instruments used for shackling, imprisonment, and flogging shall be completely abolished."

Zhang Qingzhi lived a reclusive life, rarely going out and refusing to meet with nobles or high-ranking officials—thus changing the common practices of "Zhenren" (Immortals, a title for senior Taoists) at that time.

As a result, the long-standing malpractices that had existed for five years were eliminated overnight.

(From The History of the Yuan Dynasty: Biography of Buddhist and Taoist Figures)