First of all, Taoism, which was founded, is a local religion in China, and its development is closely related to people named Zhang. His ancestors can be traced back to Laozi in the Spring and Autumn Period, because he wrote the Tao Te Ching, which discussed Huang Lao's thoughts. However, it was Zhang Daoling in the Eastern Han Dynasty, which is what we call Zhang Tianshi, who really summarized this idea as a religion. He once cultivated his way of life in the mountains and founded Taoism after coming out of the mountain. Because everyone who enters Taoism has to pay five dou meters, Taoism also has a nickname "five meters of beans."
Most people think of Taoist priests who cultivate immortals or exorcise demons, but in fact, at the beginning of the founding of Zhang Tianshi, Taoism was an important weapon for rulers to manage the country, and it could also improve people's happiness index. Because Zhang Tianshi's Taoist teachings advocate "inaction", the lower working people who believe in Taoism yearn for the farming life of men plowing and women weaving, which is beneficial for the rulers to manage world affairs. At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, while the status of Confucianism rose, Taoism was also deeply rooted in the hearts of the people in the Central Plains.
Second, every dynasty has a great man. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, a celebrity named Zhang appeared in the Zhang family. His name is Zhang Jiao, and he wrote Taiping Jing. According to Zi Tong Zhi Jian, Zhang Jiao founded Taiping Road and became a branch of Taoism. He not only believes in the art of Huang Lao, but also openly teaches witchcraft. Under his leadership, the influence of Taoism has been expanding, and the number of followers has reached hundreds of thousands, which is enough to affect the stability of the ruler's regime. Sure enough, Zhang Jiao used this force to launch an uprising in the later period and set off a vigorous yellow turban insurrectionary uprising. Although it was finally suppressed, its influence swept across the country.
In the Tang dynasty, there was a man named Zhang, which is one of the things we are familiar with. His deeds have been recorded in the Old Tang Book, Ming Taizu Miscellaneous Notes and other historical classics. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, Zhang was specially invited to the palace to give lectures and cast spells. At that time, it was carved on a stone tablet, and now this stone tablet still remains on Zhang Lao Guo Mountain in Xingtai City, Hebei Province. The legend about Zhang is widely circulated among the people. Some people say that the donkey's hoofprint on the floor was left when riding a donkey across the bridge.
We can't judge whether Zhang is immortal or not, but we know that he does exist in history. At that time, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty not only admired him very much, but also wanted to marry his princess Yu Zhen. Unfortunately, Zhang refused his request. Taoism was founded in the early Han Dynasty and developed in the Tang Dynasty, which is inseparable from Zhang's contribution. Like Zhang Tianshi, the founder of Taoism, he left behind Taoist works and was praised as a Taoist immortal by later generations after his death.
During the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, there was also a famous Taoist priest in the Zhang family. His name is Zhang Sanfeng. He founded Quanzhen School, a branch of Taoism, and became the founder of Wutang School. None of this is a fictional plot in martial arts novels. Zhang Sanfeng's deeds are recorded in Ming history. He founded Neijia Boxing and Tai Ji Chuan, which believers can use for health preservation and self-defense. Later, there was a Taoist named Li Xiyue in the Qing Dynasty. He sorted out all Zhang Sanfeng's works and recorded them in The Complete Works of Mr. Zhang Sanfeng.
The development of Taoism is closely related to every descendant of Zhang, which also makes the Zhang family inherit in the thousand-year history and its status is undiminished. However, the Zhang family can flourish for thousands of years, in addition to these outstanding descendants, there are also their style of doing things handed down from generation to generation.
Third, be close to the emperor and keep your distance. The prosperity of a family can not be separated from excellent offspring and the style of doing things. Both Zhang Tianshi and the descendants of Confucius chose the means of self-protection in troubled times. They have never been arrogant because of the achievements of their ancestors, nor have they boasted too much about their achievements. As a favorite tool of a ruler, the descendants of the Zhang family are always concerned by the emperors of each dynasty, and their attitude towards the rulers is also the reason for the prosperity of their family.
In every dynasty, the descendants of the Zhang family followed the emperor's footsteps, but kept their distance appropriately. For example, Zhang did not refuse the invitation of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty and went to the palace to accept the honor. However, when Tang Xuanzong proposed that Zhang be his son-in-law, he resolutely refused. There are many descendants of the Zhang family who are valued by the emperor like them, but they don't take this chicken feather as a pledge.
Perhaps the conclusion is that the positive inaction thought advocated by Zhang Tianshi when he founded Taoism has influenced every generation in later generations. They are all committed to their own Taoist practice and have never participated in political struggles. Moreover, every descendant of the Zhang family has improved and innovated Taoism, making the Zhang family still maintain its supreme glory after thousands of years. Zhang Tianshi's descendants never cut off this inheritance during the flowing dynasty change.