Zhu Zhong was a native of Kuaiji. He often sold pearls in the market of Kuaiji. During the reign of Empress Dowager Lü of Han, an imperial edict was issued seeking three-inch pearls. Zhong read the purchase order and laughed, saying, “This is just for you.” He carried a three-inch pearl to present it at court. The pearl was of such fine quality that he was immediately granted 500 gold coins as a reward. Princess Lu Yuan also privately gave him 700 gold coins to purchase pearls from Zhong. Zhong presented a four-inch pearl, delivered it at the palace gate and then left immediately. An imperial edict was issued from Kuaiji to summon him, but his whereabouts were unknown. During the reign of Emperor Jing, he came again and presented dozens of three-inch pearls, then left immediately; no one knew where he went.

Zhu Zhong’s laughter when he read the imperial edict — “This is just for you” — is one of the most quietly remarkable moments in the Lie Xian Zhuan. It reveals an immortal who is not indifferent to the world, but utterly unimpressed by its power. Like Anqi Xiansheng, who spoke with Qin Shi Huang for three days and then left all the imperial gifts behind, Zhu Zhong engaged with the highest levels of Han power and then simply walked away.

His pattern of appearing, giving, and vanishing connects him to a cluster of market-dwelling immortals who used trade as a veil for their true nature. Fan Li accumulated vast wealth and then abandoned it; the Wine Connoisseur earned ten thousand coins a day before resigning and disappearing; Zhu Jiweng sold chickens for tens of thousands and then “put the money aside and left.” In each case, the immortal uses commerce not to accumulate but to give — and then moves on.

Zhu Zhong had no desires; he merely used trade as a means to pass the time. He looked down upon the black dragon, and touched this night-glowing pearl. He rose to prominence in Kuaiji, and his brilliance shone in Xianyang. Though he gave without seeking virtue, his deeds became even more renowned through the generations.

“Gave without seeking virtue” — this phrase from the eulogy is the key to understanding Zhu Zhong’s place in the Taoist tradition. It echoes the teaching of Laozi that the sage “acts without claiming, achieves without dwelling on it, succeeds without taking credit.” Youbozi embodied the same principle, protecting the Su family across generations without ever revealing his true nature or seeking recognition. In the Lie Xian Zhuan, the measure of an immortal is not what he receives, but what he gives — and how quietly he gives it.