During high school, the school's military instructors often punished him for letting his hair grow too long by making him stand in front of the mirror at the school's entrance. Although rebellious, he made outstanding marks that earned him entry to the National Taiwan University's Civil Engineering Department without having to take the joint entrance exam for universities.
高中時，常常因為頭髮過長，而被教官罰站在校門口大鏡子前的張照堂，雖然叛逆，卻再度以優異的成績被保送台灣大學土木工程系。