Temple of Marquis Liu

Temple of Marquis Liu

The Temple of Marquis Liu is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Temple of Marquis Liu, also known as the Celestial Master’s Ancestral Temple, is the family shrine of Zhang Daoling, the founder of Taoism. It enshrines the spirit tablets of Zhang Liang and the first to the sixty-third Celestial Masters of the Zhang lineage, making it the ancestral temple of Taoism.

Zhang Liang (circa 250–186 BCE), courtesy name Zifang, was an early Han dynasty statesman and military strategist, one of the founding figures of the Western Han dynasty, historically known as one of the “Three Heroes of the Early Han.” To this day, places such as Lujiang in Anhui, Hanzhong in Shaanxi, Lankao in Henan, Zhangjiajie, and Weishan County in Jining, Shandong Province, all claim to have Zhang Liang’s tomb, making it difficult to discern the true one. Zhang Liang was a strategist and minister during the late Qin and early Han periods, with five generations of his ancestors having served as prime ministers of the State of Han. After the Qin conquered Han, he attempted to assassinate the First Emperor of Qin at Bolangsha but failed. While in exile in Xiapi, he met the “Old Man with the Yellow Cap,” who gave him the Art of War by Taigong, after which he mastered military strategy and became highly resourceful. During the peasant uprisings at the end of the Qin dynasty, he gathered followers to join Liu Bang and became one of Liu’s key advisors. During the Chu-Han Contention, he proposed not to reinstall the descendants of the six warring states, instead forming alliances with Ying Bu and Peng Yue, and placing great trust in Han Xin, among other strategies. He also advocated for pursuing Xiang Yu and annihilating the Chu army, laying a solid foundation for Liu Bang to unify the realm. Liu Bang praised him with the famous words, “He plans within the tent and wins battles a thousand miles away,” a phrase that has been passed down through the ages along with Zhang Liang’s wise strategies and military prowess. Upon the establishment of the Han dynasty, he was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Liu, and later retired after achieving his goals, leaving behind an everlasting legacy.