The Zhang Yuanxuan 张园璿
Paul PengShare
Zhang Yuanxuan, styled Gengyun and also known as Yunqiaozi, was a native of Fushan County, Dengzhou Prefecture, Shandong Province during the Tongzhi and Guangxu reigns of the Qing Dynasty.
Master Yunqiao was born with extraordinary intelligence, a dignified and elegant appearance, and noble aspirations and conduct. Records of the Origin and Flow of the Supreme Precepts states: From his youth, he admired the Taoist school. Later, he became a Taoist Priest at Sanguan Temple on Laoshan Mountain in Jimo, extensively studied Taoist classics, traveled to famous mountains, and visited virtuous scholars everywhere, seeking only the profound and mysterious secrets.
Subsequently, he resided permanently at Renbao Guan in the Jiangnan region, attracting a large gathering of Taoists.
Due to wars and chaos, he moved to Xuanmiao Guan in Nanyang Prefecture. At that time, Master Lü Yongzhen (a Taoist precept master) served as the abbot administrator. He discussed Taoism with Yuanxuan for several days, and they were in harmony in aspirations and spirit.
After Master Lü returned to preside over Baiyun Guan in the capital, the Taoists elected Yuanxuan as the abbot administrator. From then on, he diligently managed Taoist affairs day and night, practiced profound Taoism earnestly, strictly disciplined himself, and treated others with leniency, winning the heartfelt admiration and obedience of all Taoists.
In the fourth year of the Tongzhi reign (1865), Lü Yongzhen summoned him to Baiyun Guan in the capital and imparted the great methods of the Taoist school. In the sixth year (1867), the Taoists of Baiyun Guan invited Yuanxuan to Beijing, honored him as the abbot, and held a ceremony to confer precepts.
After the ceremony, he returned to Nanyang. In the ninth year (1870), he was invited to Beijing again to hold a precept-conferring ceremony.
Empress Dowager Cixi bestowed upon him a purple robe and a jade crown, donated money to support the ceremony, and a grand precept-conferring venue was opened.
Marquis, earls, and nobles in the capital came one after another, and the influence of Taoism flourished greatly. In the tenth year of the Guangxu reign (1884), he went to Baiyun Guan again to impart the Dharma and confer precepts.
He had nearly a thousand disciples. Among them, he selected Gao Rendong from Mengshan Mountain in Yunnan and passed on the great Dharma to him to inherit the lineage.
Thus, Zhang Yuanxuan became the 19th generation precept-transmitting master of the Taoist school.
About the Author
Paul Peng
Paul Peng is a Zhengyi Taoist priest from Longhu Mountain, Jiangxi — the ancestral home of the Celestial Masters' tradition. Ordained at 25 after a dream from the Celestial Master, he has practiced for 25 years under Master Zeng Guangliang. He is one of the curators of this store, which is officially authorized by Tianshi Fu. All items are consecrated at the temple by the resident priest team.
Read his full story →
