Daoshi

A daoshi (Chinese: 道士; pinyin: Dàoshì; Wade–Giles: tao4 shih4; lit. 'scholar of the Tao') or Taoshih, translated as Taoist priest, Taoist monk, or Taoist professional is a priest in Taoism. The courtesy title of a senior daoshi is daozhang (道長, meaning "Tao master"), and a highly accomplished and revered daoshi is often called a zhenren (真人; "perfected person"). Along with Han Chinese priests, there are also many practicing ethnic minority priests in China. 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. Nonmonastic 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 (Taotsang), or Taoist 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 thought to be able to manipulate fate on their or their followers' behalf and they could grant miracles or inflict divine punishment on people in the afterlife or the mortal world.