The Zhang Zhisu 张志素

Zhang Zhisu was a native of Suiyang (now Shangqiu City, Henan Province) during the Jin and Yuan dynasties. He held the literary name "Gushenzi" (Master of the Valley Spirit, a reference to the Taoist concept of the "valley spirit" representing the subtle, life-giving essence of the Tao).

According to the Stele Inscribing the Daoist Deeds of Revered Master Zhang, Who Upholds the Faith and Promotes Taoism in Response to Destiny by Meng Qi: Zhang Zhisu studied under Qiu Changchun (a leading master of the Quanzhen School of Taoism). When Qiu Changchun responded to the imperial edict and embarked on the long journey to the Western Regions (Central Asia), Zhang Zhisu accompanied him closely, never uttering a single complaint.

Over the entire forty-year period, he never failed to carry out Qiu Changchun’s instructions. After Qiu Changchun passed away (described in Taoist terms as "achieving immortality and ascending"), Zhang Zhisu was appointed to the position of "Tiandian Gongshi" (Overseer of Palace Affairs) and concurrently took charge of Taoist affairs in the Zhongdu Circuit (an administrative region centered on present-day Beijing).

Later, he accepted an invitation from feudal lords in the northern regions to propagate Taoist teachings in Baixu (a historical place, possibly in northern China). His disciples gathered in large numbers like trees in a forest, and his reputation as a Taoist master grew steadily. Subsequently, he was ordered to renovate the Xuanyuan Ancestral Temple (dedicated to Xuanyuan Huangdi, a legendary ancestor revered in Taoism). By imperial edict, he was specially conferred the title "Great Patriarch Who Upholds the Faith and Promotes Taoism in Response to Destiny."

Zhang Zhisu was endowed with talent and strategy, and he succeeded in every task he undertook. He excelled in all fields, including writing and various crafts. He passed away from illness in the fifth year of the Zhiyuan era (1268) at the age of 81.

Details of his life can also be found in Volume 4 of Ganshui Xianyuan Lu (Records of the Immortal Origins by the Sweet Water).