Daoshi

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.

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.

Quanzhen Taoism, which is present almost exclusively in the north of China, includes all Taoist orders which have a monastic institution.

Taoist priests were given Grade Five status and above, and were permitted to participate in formal rituals (keyi 科儀) since they were educated in internal cultivation (neigong 內功).

Taoist 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).

During the period, Taoist priests were largely viewed positively by the public, though some were skeptical about the credibility of their alchemy, fortune-telling, and divination.

Upon passing, the newly qualified priests would receive a dudie (度牒, dù dié) clerical certificate, which served as their state license to practise.

Since 1398, the Ming law books stated that owning a dudie was the only valid proof of identity for Buddhist monks and Taoist priests.

[10] Despite the threat of these punishments, the regulations started to degrade and enforcement became increasingly loose during the mid to late Ming.

For instance, after 1487, in the wake of famines or other natural disasters, the government would often issue large numbers of dudie as a way of increasing state income.

Sometimes during famine, a dudie could be acquired not only with a monetary purchase, but even by trading in grains to the state.

[10] During the late Ming, morning and evening study sessions had become a daily practice in most Taoist temples, especially those of the Quanzhen (全真, quán zhēn) branch.

In a book written by the Prince of Ning Zhu Quan (朱權, zhū quán), he states that the clothing of Taoist priests in Ming was not too different from the “ancient” style of the Northern and Southern dynasties (420-589 AD).

[12] Taoist priests were also expected to perform various kinds of exorcisms and rituals for people who wanted a cure disease, resolve drought, etc.

Taoist temples were used as places people could donate to fund new communal structures like bridges or roads.