Taoist

Taoists were represented in art as scholars, sages, heroes, officials and priests When these images are taken out of context they are very difficult to identify so we use the term Taoist to signify an Official, Priest or sage. A Taoist priest is called a daoshi (道士 “master of the Tao”) a moniker for a monk, official or master or sometimes even referred to as shaman. Ming and Qing images of Taoists can often be identified by their formal attire for ritual ceremonies or state occasions consisting of a long-sleeved black garment with white piping and a black formal hat (guan). Carvings of Taoist priests often appear on home altars many bearing Taoist symbols such as cups with elixirs of immortality, taels of silver or gold for wealth, with their hands in ritualistic positions sometimes covered by ritual cloth. They often carried long slender Hu or audience tablets as ritual objects indicating they were in the presence of a Taoist deity. Women were Taoist priests soon after its inception and there are many legends about Taoist female deities as well. Taoism is very compatible with feminine characteristics including modesty, softness, yielding to the Tao, and non-aggression. Some schools admired their ability to communicate with deities, and the Tang Dynasty was the zenith for Taoist women who numbered one-third of the Shangqing School clergy. Taoist priests were in charge of protecting people against evil spirits in this life while Buddhist monks were in charge of looking after souls in the next life, and images of them on home altars represented a wish to ward off malevolent spirits and bad luck.