Zhang Xu befriended Li Bai and He Hao, and Du Fu listed him as the "Eight Immortals of Drinking". Zhang Xu is a master of cursive script with great personality. Because he is often drunk, clamoring for madness, then writing books, and even writing with his hair dipped in ink, he has the nickname "Zhang Dian". After Huai Su inherited and developed his brushwork, he was named after cursive script, and called it "Dianzhangzuisu" (or "Dianzhangkuangsu").
Zhang Xu was born in a family with a high family background. He studied calligraphy under his cousin Lu Yanyuan, and was highly praised by Wu Daozi and Yan Zhenqing after his success. When he was old, he was promoted or recommended, recruited talents, entered the official position, and was released as a captain of Changshu County. He has served as the left governor and the governor, so he is called "Zhang Changshi" by the world; He died in the second year of Gan Yuan (759) at the age of 75. Good at cursive writing, like drinking. He is called "Zhang Dian" by the world, "drunk" with Huai Su, "Four Gentlemen of Wuzhong" with He, Zhang and Bao Rong, and "Eight Immortals of Drinking" with whom. His cursive script, Li Bai's poems and Pei's sword dance are also called "three musts".