[1] He was the nephew of Nian leader Zhang Lexing who was killed by Qing forces in battle in 1863.
However Senge Rinchen was killed in early 1865, allowing Nian troops to retreat to northern Anhui.
After the surrender and death of Lai, Western Nian moved into Shanxi and southern Zhili, advancing as far as the edge of Tianjin.
Qing General Zuo Zongtang led a blockade that trapped the Western Nian between the Tuxie and Yellow Rivers and the Grand Canal.
On August 16, 1868, Zhang Zongyu committed suicide by drowned himself in a river in Shandong.