Zhang Shixun

Zhang Shixun, styled Tuifu, was from Junzhou at the foot of Wudang Mountain. According to the "Great Mountain Taihe Mountain Annals" of the Ming and Qing dynasties, when Zhang Shixun was young, his family was extremely poor and he initially lived in Guanghua, a neighboring county. The "Brief History of Taoism in Wudang" quotes the "Linji Magazine" as referring to Zhang as a "soldier of Guanghua". "Jun" is the title of a military stronghold established after the Tang Dynasty. This description of Zhang as a native of Guanghua is probably based on the fact that Zhang first resided in Guanghua when he was young, and it is not known that he was originally from Junzhou. The first residence was probably the first time to move and settle down. Either to escape famine or to seek refuge. When he was a little older, he went to study at Wudang Mountain. The author once verified in the article "The Descendants Hall of Wudang Taoism" that Wudang Taoism established a descendants hall around the Ming Dynasty, and the content taught to Taoist children included popular Confucian classics. Now, considering Zhang Shixun's study at Wudang Mountain, it is likely to be the matter of his descendants. The Wudang Taoist Education and Grandchildren Hall, on the one hand, was to cultivate successors of Taoism, and on the other hand, it also had a charitable and accommodating nature, which was highly consistent with Zhang Shixun's childhood background. From this perspective, the Wudang Daoist School for the Descendants was established at least as early as the beginning of the Song Dynasty. During his school years, a Taoist priest saw him and was astonished, saying, "You, this child, have the roots of the Tao. You can follow me to learn immortality." Zhang Shixun didn't agree. The Taoist priest did not force him and said again, "Even if you do not enter the immortal path, you will surely become a pillar of the country in the future." Sun Shixun later continued to study Confucianism. During the Yongxi reign (984-987 AD), he passed the imperial examination as a jinshi (this account is slightly different from the time of Deng Ruozhuo's deeds by several years), and indeed rose to the position of prime minister. According to the mountain history, not long after Zhang Shixun ascended the position of prime minister, he suddenly developed a desire to return to Taoism and thus resigned from his post to return to Wudang Mountain. Later, he achieved enlightenment and passed away on Wudang Mountain. From the analysis of Ma Yongqing's "Nenzhenzi" and "Qingxiang Zaji" of the Song Dynasty, there are roughly two major reasons for Zhang Shixun's retreat to seclusion: First, he was deeply influenced by Taoism and immortals when he studied on Wudang Mountain in his youth. Secondly, the prophecies made by the Taoist priests of Wudang in his youth and the predictions made by Deng Ruozhuo later were confirmed in his own life, which made him even more devout in his belief in Taoism and immortals. Perhaps there is also the coldness of the officialdom that has led to a heart that is indifferent to the official career.