The Zhang Zongyan 张宗演

Zhang Zongyan (1245-1292), courtesy name Shichuan and literary name Jianqi, was a native of Guixi, Xinzhou (now part of Jiangxi Province). He served as the 16th Celestial Master of the Zhengyi Sect (Orthodox Unity Sect) of Taoism.

According to The Genealogy of the Han Celestial Masters (Han Tianshi Shijia), in the 13th year of the Zhiyuan era (1276), after Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty (Kublai Khan) pacified the Jiangnan region (the area south of the Yangtze River), he sent envoys to summon Zhang Zongyan. The emperor bestowed upon him a title equivalent to the second rank in the imperial official hierarchy, awarded him a silver official seal, and enfeoffed him as "Successor Han Celestial Master," entrusting him with the responsibility of overseeing Taoist affairs in the Jiangnan region.

Zhang Zongyan was also granted the honorific title "True Lord of Spreading Dao, Responding to Divine Will, Being Calm and Harmonious, and Profoundly Quiet." He passed away in the 29th year of the Zhiyuan era (1292) at the age of 48.