Zhang Sanfeng in history: which of the three is the legendary Zhang Sanfeng?

Note: There is indeed a Zhang Sanfeng in history, and there may be three Zhang Sanfengs, the one from the Song Dynasty, the one from the Yuan Dynasty, and the one from the Ming Dynasty.

Many readers through the works of Jin Yong to understand the Zhang Sanfeng his person, on his out of this world Wudang magic power and the immortal style and noble virtue, admiration. There is indeed Zhang Sanfeng in history, and there may be three Zhang Sanfengs, Zhang Sanfeng of the Song Dynasty, Zhang Sanfeng of the Yuan Dynasty, and Zhang Sanfeng of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhang Sanfeng of the Song Dynasty, also known as Zhang Sanfeng, probably lived in the late Northern Song Dynasty. Huang Zongxi, a famous thinker and historian in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, said in the Epitaph of Wang Zhengnan (Wang Zhengnan's life from 1617 to 1669) that the internal martial arts "started in the Song Dynasty with Zhang Sanfeng. Sanfeng for the Wudang Dan Shi, Huizong called, the Taoist terrier shall not enter, night dream Xuan emperor awarded the boxing method, the Ming, to kill more than a hundred thieves with a single ding". Huang Zongxi son of Huang Baikai, also a famous historian of the Qing dynasty, with Wang Zhengnan learned internal boxing, in his writing "Mr. Wang Zhengnan biography," said: "cover since the external to Shaolin, the art of fine. Zhang Sanfeng is not only specialized in Shaolin, but also in internal martial arts. Get one or two of them, has been enough to win Shaolin." Wang Zhengnan is Huang Zongxi's friend, is Huang Baiyi's master, Huang's father and son as a serious historian, about the Song Dynasty Zhang Sanfeng's record should be based on and quite serious. In the Yongzheng period, Ningbo governor Cao Bingren compiled "Ningbo Prefecture Records? Zhang Songxi biography" said: "Zhang Songxi, Yin people, good fight ...... its method of self-proclaimed from the Song Zhang Sanfeng. Three peaks for the Wudang Danshi. Emperor Huizong called, the road is not before. Night dream Xuan emperor awarded the boxing method. Consequently, he killed more than a hundred thieves with a single ding; then he became famous in the world for his great skill." Here Zhang Songxi himself said that his martial arts originated from Zhang Sanfeng of the Song Dynasty. In 1880, the nephew of Wu Yuxiang, the founder of Wushu Taijiquan, Li Yiyi, said at the beginning of his "Preface to Taijiquan", "Taijiquan started from Zhang Sanfeng in Song Dynasty, and its subtlety and skillfulness, Wang Zongyue's discussion is detailed and exhaustive. After the transmission to Henan Chenjiagou Chen family, God and the Ming, the generation does not count people ......"

Zhang Sanfeng of the Yuan Dynasty, the original name of Zhang Yang, the word three winds, Zhongyue Wudang Mountain Taoist priests, Zhongyue Ciyun Temple Buddhist apprenticeship, the creation of the Zhang Yang Boxing and the two-way through the arm fist. However, Zhang Sanfeng of the Yuan Dynasty seems to be difficult to determine, "Ming History? Fang Shu Liezhuan" records: "or that Sanfeng Jin time people, the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty and Liu Bingzhong with the same teacher, and then studied in Luyi of the Palace of Taiqing, but they can not be examined. Tianshun three years, Emperor Yingzong gave a grant, presented as Tongwei Xianhua real people, the end of its survival is not known." Liu Bingzhong (1216-1274) was a famous politician, writer and architect in the early Yuan Dynasty. There are many works by Liu Bingzhong in existence, but there is no mention of "Zhang Sanfeng". It is also said in "The Collection of Famous Mountains" that Zhang Sanfeng studied with Liu Bingzhong and Leng Qian under the famous Zen Master Hai Yun in the early Yuan Dynasty. Li Xiyue of the Qing Dynasty wrote "Zhang Sanfeng complete collection? Luting night story", Zhang Sanfeng claimed to have been born in Mongolia Dingzong three years (1248), once served as the Zhongshan Boling County magistrate, then abandoned the official monk, to do the whole true Taoist, in the end of the South Mountain, met the fire dragon real person, to get the real secret. Finally, he practiced in Wudang Mountain for many years.

So what kind of person is Zhang Sanfeng in the Ming Dynasty?

Zhang Sanfeng of the Ming Dynasty was a deified figure, and it is said that sometimes he ate a meal in three or five days, and sometimes only once in two or three months. When he was in good spirits, he walked through mountains and rocks, and when he was tired, he laid clouds and slept in snow. Sometimes he traveled thousands of miles in a day, and "all people were surprised and thought that he was a fairy". In the twenty-fourth year of the Hongwu era, Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of Ming Dynasty, in order to strengthen his control over Taoism, sent some Taoist priests on a mission to Taoist temples all over the country, specifically instructing the messengers, "If there is a Zhang Xuanxuan, you may invite him." But Zhang Sanfeng was never found.

Ming Emperor Zhu Di believed in gods and monsters, worship Wudang Xuan Di, and Zhang Sanfeng is the most famous Taoist priest in Wudang Mountain, also worship Xuan Di. Therefore, Zhu Di wanted to put in the folk influence of Zhang Sanfeng "Yan please visit the court", on the one hand, you can whitewash the peace, to buy the hearts of the people; on the other hand, you can also get the medicine, prolong life.

Zhang Sanfeng's many disciples, scattered around. The Ming Ren Ziyuan's "Taiyue Taihe Zhi? Zhang Quanyi biography" records that Zhang Sanfeng's disciples in the Wudang Mountains, there are Taoist priests Qiu Xuanqing, Lu Qiuyun, Liu Guquan, Yang Shancheng, Zhou Zhende five people, each under the orders of the teacher to live in a place. The Complete Works of Zhang Sanfeng? Taoism", Zhang Sanfeng's disciples also include Shen Wansan, a rich man from Qinhuai, and his son-in-law Yu Shishe, as well as Lu Dehou, a rich man who had helped Zhu Yuanzhang with military food. In addition, Huaian Wang Zongdao, also learned Taoism from Zhang Sanfeng, Yongle three years ordered to visit Zhang Sanfeng, but did not meet, and was named "Yuande real". Ming Wuzong Li sex, said in the Zhengde years (1506 ~ 1521 years), into the Wudang Mountain encounter Zhang Sanfeng and get know-how, counting, when Zhang Sanfeng has two hundred and fifty-six years old, seems unlikely.

Beijing Baiyun Guan copy of the "General Book of all true sects" lists Zhang Sanfeng as the ancestor of the Taoist sects, there are 17 branches of the Wangyushan Dirt School, the Natural School, Sanfeng School, Rixin School, Penglai School, Tanta School, and so on. During the reign of Daohan in the Qing Dynasty, Li Xiyue, a native of Leshan, Sichuan Province, set up the Neidan Western School, inherited Zhang Sanfeng, and called Zhang Sanfeng's lineage "Hidden Immortal School", and organized the genealogy of the transmission of the law from Laozi, the real person of the beginning of Wen Yinxi to Zhang Sanfeng. Although this genealogy is not entirely reliable, but highlights the recluse for the school's unique style, but also does reflect the personality characteristics of Zhang Sanfeng: a kind of similar to the Chinese hermits through the ages of the "hidden immortal" style, this hidden immortal spirit, and those, including those at the time of the waist of gold and purple clothing Zheng Yi Taoist, including the dignitaries, the tendency to influence people compared to Zhang Sanfeng is how This kind of spirit of recluse is very rare and precious. From the mainstream tradition of that time, Zhang Sanfeng's personality is quite in line with the spirit of Confucianism, which does not want to be rich and powerful.

The question of whether there were three, or two, or perhaps only one, Zhang Sanfeng seems less important than the fact that he is a historical figure worthy of respect.