Daoshi
A daoshi (Chinese: 道士; lit. 'scholar of the Tao'), translated as Taoist priest, Taoist monk, or Taoist professional is a priest in Taoism. The courtesy title of a senior daoshi is daozhang (道长, meaning "Tao master"), and a highly accomplished and revered daoshi is often called a zhenren (真人, "perfected person").
For other uses, see Daoshi (disambiguation).
Along with Han Chinese priests, there are also many practicing ethnic minority priests in China.[1] Some orders are monastic (Quanzhen orders), while the majority are not (Zhengyi orders). Some of the monastic orders are hermitic, and their members practice seclusion and ascetic lifestyles in the mountains, with the aim of becoming xian, or immortal beings. Non-monastic priests live among the populace and manage and serve their own temples or popular temples.
The activities of the Taoists tend to be informed by materials which may be found in the Daozang, or Daoist Canon; however, Taoists generally choose, or inherit, specific texts which have been passed down for generations from teacher to student, rather than consulting published versions of these works.
Traditionally, they were not thought to be able to manipulate fate on their or their followers' behalf nor could they grant miracles or inflict divine punishment on people in the afterlife or the mortal world.[2]
By Period[edit]
Pre-Ming Period[edit]
During the Period of Division, officials were divided into nine different ranks; the lower the Grade, the higher status they were. Daoist priests were given Grade Five status and above, and were permitted to participate in formal rituals (keyi 科仪) since they were educated in internal cultivation (neigong 內功). Daoist priests not trained in neigong were relegated to Grade Six status or lower, and bore the title of "Three-Five Surveyor of Merit” (sanwu dugong 三五度公).[4]
Taoist priest and monk characters have appeared in many movies, including the following...