Zhang Ling 張陵
| Occupation | RNOccultist | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | Pei Commandery Feng County Unverified | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R4 |
Profile
Zhang Ling was the grandfather of Zhang Lu, who held Hanzhong. He has no biography of his own in the Records and appears at the beginning of the biography of his grandson Zhang Lu. Living as a sojourner in Shu, he studied the Way on Mount Huming and composed Daoist writings with which he beguiled the common people, and since he required those who received the Way from him to contribute five pecks of rice, they were called the 'rice bandits'. After his death his son Zhang Heng and then his grandson Zhang Lu practised his Way in turn. Records, Wei 8 §61
Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name, origin or the year of his death. In the Romance he appears once, in Chapter 59, in the passage introducing Zhang Lu, as the grandfather who composed Daoist writings in the mountains of Huming in Xichuan; he appears in this one chapter alone out of 120, and his name does not appear in any chapter title. Records, Wei 8 §61Romance, Ch. 59 §45
In the Records
Records of Wei 8 states that Zhang Lu was a man of Feng County in Pei State, and begins his biography with his grandfather Zhang Ling. Zhang Ling, living as a sojourner in Shu, studied the Way on Mount Huming and composed Daoist writings with which he beguiled the common people. Since those who received the Way from him had to contribute five pecks of rice, people called them the 'rice bandits'. Records, Wei 8 §61
When Zhang Ling died his son Zhang Heng practised his Way, and when Zhang Heng died Zhang Lu practised it in turn. Zhang Lu became Major Supervising Righteousness under Liu Yan, Governor of Yi Province, and was sent against Su Gu, Administrator of Hanzhong, but he ambushed and killed Zhang Xiu (張脩), the Major of a Separate Command who had gone with him, and took over his followers. The Biography of Liu Yan in Records of Shu records that Zhang Lu's mother had practised the Way of spirits from the start and frequented Liu Yan's household, and that Liu Yan had Zhang Lu stay in Hanzhong and cut the plank roads, and then sent up a letter saying that the rice bandits had cut the road and it could no longer be passed. Records, Wei 8 §61Records, Shu 1 §7–8
When Liu Yan died and his son Liu Zhang killed Zhang Lu's mother and household, Zhang Lu took Hanzhong, taught the people by the Way of spirits and styled himself 'Lord Teacher'. Those who came to study the Way were at first called 'spirit soldiers'; once they had received the original Way and their faith was firm they were called 'libationers', and those who led many followers became 'great libationers at the head of a parish'. He taught them to be sincere and trustworthy and not to deceive, and had the sick confess their own faults; Chen Shou wrote that on the whole it resembled the Yellow Turbans. Records, Wei 8 §62
The libationers built charity lodges (yishe) and hung up charity rice and meat there, so that travellers could take as much as their bellies required, and lawbreakers were pardoned three times before punishment was carried out. Zhang Lu appointed no senior officials but had the libationers govern, and held Ba and Hanzhong for nearly thirty years. The only place in Chen Shou's main text where Zhang Ling's name appears is the opening of the biography of Zhang Lu. Records, Wei 8 §63 · 61
In the Romance
In Chapter 59 of the Romance, when Cao Cao led his army back to the capital and his authority resounded at court and beyond, the news reached Hanzhong, and here the Romance sets out Zhang Lu's background. Zhang Lu was a man of Feng County in Pei State, and his grandfather Zhang Ling, it says, composed Daoist writings in the mountains of Huming in Xichuan to beguile people, and everyone revered him. Romance, Ch. 59 §44–45
After Zhang Ling died his son Zhang Heng practised it; the Romance says that those among the people who wished to study the Way offered five pecks of rice, so that the world called them the 'rice bandits', and goes on to say that when Zhang Heng died, Zhang Lu practised it. Romance, Ch. 59 §45
The Romance then describes in detail how Zhang Lu styled himself 'Lord Teacher' in Hanzhong and established spirit soldiers, libationers and great libationers at the head of a parish; the method of prayer in which the sick were placed in a quiet room to confess their faults and a libationer called the jianling jijiu wrote the 'Handwritten Letters to the Three Officials' to report to Heaven, Earth and Water; the offering of five pecks of rice in thanks once the sick recovered; and the charity lodges (yishe) and the practice of pardoning three times. This passage is the only place in the Romance where Zhang Ling's name appears. Romance, Ch. 59 §45–47
Where the Romance differs
Mount Huming: Chapter 59 of the Romance says that Zhang Ling composed Daoist writings in the mountains of Huming in Xichuan to beguile people and that everyone revered him. In the Records, the biography of Zhang Lu states only that Zhang Ling, living as a sojourner in Shu, studied the Way on Mount Huming and composed Daoist writings to beguile the common people, and says nothing of people revering him. Romance, Ch. 59 §45Records, Wei 8 §61
Five pecks of rice: Chapter 59 of the Romance goes on to say that the people who wished to study the Way offered five pecks of rice when, after Zhang Ling's death, his son Zhang Heng practised the Way. The biography of Zhang Lu in the Records says that those who received the Way from Zhang Ling contributed five pecks of rice and were therefore called the 'rice bandits', and after that records that when Zhang Ling died Zhang Heng practised his Way. Romance, Ch. 59 §45Records, Wei 8 §61
Treating illness: Chapter 59 of the Romance records the quiet room, the prayers of the jianling libationer, the 'Handwritten Letters to the Three Officials' and even the five pecks of rice offered in thanks after recovery. The biography of Zhang Lu in Chen Shou's main text records only that the sick were made to confess their own faults, with no method of prayer and no Handwritten Letters to the Three Officials. Romance, Ch. 59 §46–47Records, Wei 8 §62
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Abilities
The Records score (Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms, main text) is the baseline. Each ability compares how the Romance redrew the same person, and the evidence from both sources explains the difference.
- LEA3131±0
- STR3131±0
- INT4545±0
- POL4242±0
- CHA5865+7
- VIR3535±0
- ADP4545±0
- SCH5555±0
- DIP3838±0
- DIS3535±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
No ability differs by 10 or more — the Romance portrays this person much as the Records do.
10 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his being recorded as the founder of the Five Pecks of RiceWei 8 §61
NNo direct record — estimated from his being recorded as Zhang Lu's grandfatherCh. 59 §45
RNo direct record — estimated from his being recorded as the founder of the Five Pecks of RiceWei 8 §61
NNo direct record — estimated from his being recorded as Zhang Lu's grandfatherCh. 59 §45
RNo direct record — estimated from his being recorded as the founder of the Five Pecks of RiceWei 8 §61
NNo direct record — estimated from his being recorded as Zhang Lu's grandfatherCh. 59 §45
RNo direct record — estimated from his being recorded as the founder of the Five Pecks of RiceWei 8 §61
NNo direct record — estimated from his being recorded as Zhang Lu's grandfatherCh. 59 §45
RGathered followers, requiring those who received his Way to contribute five pecks of riceWei 8 §61
NEveryone revered himCh. 59 §45
RRecorded as having composed Daoist writings that beguiled the common peopleWei 8 §61
NComposed Daoist writings that beguiled peopleCh. 59 §45
RNo direct record — estimated from his being recorded as the founder of the Five Pecks of RiceWei 8 §61
NNo direct record — estimated from his being recorded as Zhang Lu's grandfatherCh. 59 §45
RStudied the Way on Mount Huming and composed Daoist writingsWei 8 §61
NComposed Daoist writings in the mountains of HumingCh. 59 §45
RNo direct record — estimated from his being recorded as the founder of the Five Pecks of RiceWei 8 §61
NNo direct record — estimated from his being recorded as Zhang Lu's grandfatherCh. 59 §45
RNo direct record — estimated from his being recorded as the founder of the Five Pecks of RiceWei 8 §61
NNo direct record — estimated from his being recorded as Zhang Lu's grandfatherCh. 59 §45
Records Romance Unverified No direct record; scored from their actions (evidence grade C)
3KDEX scoring — the Records use the main text of Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms; the Romance uses the 120-chapter Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Click a source tag to open that passage in the reader.
Romance chapters (1)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Family
| Children | Zhang Heng(張衡) Romance |
|---|
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.