Zhang Ling (34~156) was a native of Feng in the Pei State (present-day Feng County, Jiangsu Province) during the Eastern Han Dynasty. He was also known as Zhang Daoling, with the courtesy name Fuhan.
In his youth, he entered the Imperial College and was selected for the category of "Xianliang Fangzheng Zhiyan Jijian" (the virtuous, upright, and those who speak bluntly to remonstrate).
He was erudite and had a good memory, proficient in the Five Classics, astronomy, geography, the Hetu, Luoshu, and divination studies, and had a particular fondness for the teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi.
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He once served as the magistrate of Jiangzhou in Ba Commandery, but later abandoned his official post and went to Beimang Mountain to practice the way of immortality. According to records in Han Tianshi Shijia (Genealogy of the Han Celestial Masters), Records of the Three Kingdoms·Biography of Zhang Lu, and Book of the Later Han·Biography of Liu Yan: In the early years of Emperor Shun's reign, Zhang Ling went to Heming Mountain to cultivate Taoism. In the sixth year of the Yonghe era (141), he claimed that Supreme Lord Laozi descended to earth, instructed him to compile twenty-four volumes of Taoist scriptures, established twenty-four "Jingzhi" (Taoist religious and administrative centers), revered Laozi as the master, regarded Tao Te Ching as the canonical text, founded Taoism, and proclaimed himself the religious leader.
His followers were called "Guizu" (ghost soldiers), and those who administered teachings were called "Jijiu" (libationers). Within the religion, they treated people's illnesses with talisman water and by having them confess their sins. Believers were widespread in the Shu region and Hanzhong. His famous disciples included Wang Chang and Zhao Sheng. He was the founder of Chinese Taoism and was revered as "Tianshi" (Celestial Master) by later generations.
