| dc.description.abstract | Chang San-feng, was born in Liaodong, also known as Jun Bao, Chuan-i. He lived as the Chinese Taoist and a famous founder of martial arts of Wudang school from Yuan to Ming dynasty, whose birthday and death day unknown. He had a photographic memory and advocated “The five classics ” and “ Three religions”. He was an outstanding, high-intelligent person. He ever studied in Taiqing Palace of Luyi (now Luyi County in Henan), preaching in Mt. Taiho afterward (now the Mt. Wudang in Hubei).
Chang San-feng’’s fame was closely related to Ming emperor’s admiration for him and his reclusion away from the attention of the public. From the early Ming, he was respected by emperors. From the seventeenth year of Hongwu (1384) to the eighteenth year of Hongwu (1385), Emperor Zhu Yuan-zhang extended his invitation twice to Chang to visit the capital, but could not get any response. Until the twenty-fourth year of Hongwu (1391), he seemed to deliberately evading the emperor’’s visit. Living in Wudang, Chang ’s wandering around the mountains increased the mystery of Chang San-feng. Then he left the Mt. Wudang in the twenty- third year of Hongwu (1390) and disappeared. But, Emperor Ch’eng-tsu called up repeatedly; the imperial edict delivered to him showed the admiration of the emperor. Although Chang San-feng was missing, but he was repeatedly proclaimed by the emperors of Ming Dynasty.
In contrast to those who pursued power eagerly, Chang San-feng was distinguished in his style in that time. Especially he negated the Taoist priests who asked for high position and handsome salary by confusing masters with alchemy. A stream of such customs as the antithesis of positive significance, showing the spirit of Taoism, and thus for future generations revered. Chang San-feng left quite a few writings and relics, which strongly supported the study of his thoughts and deeds. Chang San-feng actually liked to make friends broadly. Wudang Taoist school, among factions, developed by him in the early Ming Dynasty, played tripartite balance of forces to “Zheng-i Taoism”. Chang San-feng cultivated apprentices in Wudang, he is described by history as a martial arts legend. Until now, the anecdotes about him left literature. So the legendary life of Chang San-feng is continually for exploration and research on by later generation.
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