Zhang Daoling

Zhang Daoling
Zhang Daoling as pictured in Myths and Legends of China by E. T. C. Werner
Born	34
Died	156 (aged 121–122)
Occupation	Founder of Way of the Five Pecks of Rice

Zhang Ling (simplified Chinese: 张陵; traditional Chinese: 張陵; pinyin: Zhāng Líng; Wade–Giles: Chang Ling; 34–156), courtesy name Fuhan (simplified Chinese: 辅汉; traditional Chinese: 輔漢), was an Eastern Han Dynasty Taoist figure credited with founding the Way of the Celestial Masters sect of Taoism, which is also known as the Way of the Five Pecks of Rice.

He is also known as Zhang Daoling (simplified Chinese: 张道陵; traditional Chinese: 張道陵; pinyin: Zhāng Dàolíng; Wade–Giles: Chang Tao-ling), Celestial Master Zhang (張天師, Zhāng tiānshī), Ancestral Celestial Master (祖天師, Zǔtiānshī) or Zhengyi Zhenren (正一真人) to Taoists. Zhang is sometimes pictured riding on a tiger. In some Taoist sects, Zhang, along with Ge Xuan, Xu Xun () and Sa Shoujian (), are called the "Four Celestial Masters" (四大天師).

The details of the life of the historical figure Zhang Ling are obscure; most of the information about him comes from later scripture and hagiography. According to these, Zhang traced his ancestral home to Feng County, Jiangsu, and was said to be a descendant of Zhang Liang. He was born in the tenth year of the Jianwu era during the reign of Emperor Guangwu of Han. He started reading the Tao Te Ching at a young age and studied in the Taixue (Imperial Academy) before. He served as a magistrate in Jiangzhou, Ba Commandery (present-day Chongqing) during the reign of Emperor Ming of Han.