The Zhang Zili 张资理

Zhang Zili (1712–1786) was a native of Huangcun Village in Wuyi (now part of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province) during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty.

At the age of eleven, he became a Taoist Priest at Chaozhen Taoist Temple and studied under Master Shen Jiancang.

According to Volume 4 of Records of Yuanmiao Temple, Zhang Zili was insatiably fond of learning—he had a profound mastery of Confucianism, the doctrines of Laozi and Zhuangzi, and esoteric Taoist texts on talismans.

In the 12th year of the Yongzheng reign (1734), he was ordered by the imperial decree to go to the imperial capital, where he resided at the Zhengda Guangming Hall (Hall of Great Righteousness and Brightness). He further studied Taoist doctrines under Hui Yuanmo. In the 14th year of the Yongzheng reign (1736), Zhang returned south to Suzhou. By the order of "True Person Lou" (Lou Jinyuan), he went to Longhu Mountain to take charge of affairs at Yinghua Courtyard of Shangqing Palace. Zhang Cunyi, the 57th Heavenly Master (Tianshi) of Taoism, transmitted to him the Wulei Zhengfa (Orthodox Law of the Five Thunders), a core Taoist ritual system.

In the 41st year of the Qianlong reign (1776), Zhang Zili returned to Suzhou. In the 42nd year of the Qianlong reign (1777), he took up the post of abbot of Yuanmiao Taoist Temple.

Zhang Zili had a calm and ascetic temperament—he never accepted money or property from others. In his daily life, he only burned incense and sat in quiet meditation; he also enjoyed practicing Han-style clerical script (a calligraphic style of the Han Dynasty), and his calligraphy was vigorous and reached a superb artistic level.

He passed away due to illness in the 51st year of the Qianlong reign (1786) at the age of 75.