Zhang was born on March 16, 1924, in Shangyu District of Shaoxing, Zhejiang in a family of performing artists. His grandfather, Zhang Tingchun (章廷椿), mostly performed in the countryside of Zhejiang under the stage name "Huo Hou Zhang" (活猴章). Zhang's father, Zhang Yisheng (章益生) with the stage name "Sai Huo Hou" (赛活猴; literally: "Better than a living monkey"). His elder brother, Zhang Zongxin (章宗信), who specialised in playing Zhu Bajie, had the stage name "Qi Ling Tong" (七龄童; literally: "Seven Year Old Child").
Zhang began his acting career at age 6 and made his acting debut at age 12.
After the founding of the Communist State, he was appointed president of the Zhejiang Shao Opera Troupe. In August 1956, Zhang performed The Monkey King caused havoc in Heaven for Vice Premier Chen Yi and Indonesian President Sukarno. On December 17, 1957, he performed The Monkey King caused havoc in Heaven again for Premier Zhou Enlai and Soviet guests at Shanghai Sino - Soviet Friendship Mansion. In 1961, he performed The Monkey King Thrice Defeats the Skeleton Demon for Mao Zedong, his performance was acclaimed by Mao.[3] It was filmed as a color drama film, released in 72 countries and regions.
In 1966, Mao Zedong launched the Cultural Revolution, Zhang was labeled as a rightist, a capitalist roader, a reactionary scholar and a counter-revolutionary revisionist. The Red Guards
took him into custody and put him under investigation. They paraded him through the streets and beat him in public. Finally, he was sent to countryside to a labour camp. In the fall of 1971, Mao Zedong toured in southern China and ordered him to be released. In 1974, Zhang returned to the public stage, he earned an Outstanding Performance Award in the 1st Zhejiang Drama Festival for his performance as Sun Wukong in The Flaming Mountain.
On January 31, 2014, he died of illness in Shaoxing, Zhejiang[citation needed].
