Zhang Zhong was a Taoist mystic.

A native of Linchuan in Jiangxi

Jiangxi

' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...

, he was fond of study in his youth, yet failed to take his degree. He then left his books and began roaming over the mountains, where he fell in with a magician who taught him the black art.
Zhong Learned Both Sides of Taoism

Taoism

Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...

, He learned to Heal and Control of Elements of Nature. He also learned how to Raise the Dead, And Brainwash People (With simple Minds) Into doing his Bidding

Bidding

Bidding is an offer of setting a price one is willing to pay for something. A price offer is called a bid. The term may be used in context of auctions, stock exchange, card games, or real estate transactions....

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After which he became eccentric in manner and took to wearing an iron cap, thereby earning the sobriquet of the Iron-Cap Philosopher.

In the novel The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, he is one of the Five Wanderers (五散人).