Zhang Sanfeng

Zhang Sanfeng's History

Zhang Sanfeng (張三丰) also known as Zhang Junbao (張君寶) is the founder of Wudang Sect and is the creator of Taiji Fist as well as other notable Wudang martial arts.

Youth

Zhang Sanfeng was originally known as Zhang Junbao, and was a disciple of the Shaolin Temple under the librarian Jueyuan. During the time of The Return of the Condor Heroes, he learns a fragmentary piece of Nine Yang Divine Skill from his teacher. Zhang Junbao later defects from Shaolin, taking his knowledge of the Nine Yang Divine Skill and expanding on it to invent his own martial arts.

Wudang

Zhang Sanfeng becomes a taoist priest, founds Wudang Sect, and accepts many apprentices, the first and strongest seven of which are known as the "Seven Heroes of Wudang". In the year of his 90th birthday, his third disciple Yu Daiyan is crippled and his fifth disciple Zhang Cuishan, in an attempt to investigate, disappears for a full decade.

On Zhang Sanfeng’s 100th birthday, he reunites with Zhang Cuishan and his wife, Yin Susu. Zhang Sanfeng is one of the few to approve of their marriage, as despite Yin Susu being part of the infamous Heavenly Eagle Cult, he asserts that members of an evil group could be good, and members of a good group could be evil. He also learns that their son, Zhang Wuji, was kidnapped by a mysterious soldier.

This reunion is cut short when the couple are approached by representatives from various martial arts schools, demanding to know the location of Zhang Wuji’s godfather, the infamous Golden Haired Lion King, Xie Xun. Zhang Cuishan and Yin Susu take their own lives instead. Zhang Wuji cries out, alerting Zhang Sanfeng to his location. Zhang Sanfeng leaped onto a tower to save him, quickly forcing the kidnapper to retreat, but not before landing a devastating blow on Zhang Wuji.

Zhang Sanfeng and his remaining five disciples take turns using their qi to heal Wuji, but all they can do is delay the effect. Zhang Sanfeng even tries going to the Shaolin temple to use the full Nine Yang Divine Skill, but is turned away. Zhang Sanfeng eventually decides to send Wuji to the eccentric doctor Hu Qingniu for treatment.

The two don’t meet again for several years. The next time they meet, the Five Heroes of Wudang had been kidnapped and the Shaolin sect had been all but exterminated by Zhao Min, who then sent an assassin to kill Zhang Sanfeng. The assassin lands one blow before being killed, but Zhang Sanfeng is greatly weakened from being caught off-guard.