Chinese ritual mastery traditions

symbols are used also in ritual masters' traditions. The ritual masters ( fashi) are defined, in opposition to formally ordained Taoist priests, as: Michael Saso (University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa) distinguishes fashi as "kataphatic" (of filling character) in opposition to Taoists as "kenotic" (of emptying character), and links them to other Sino-Tibetan indigenous religions: They are known by different names throughout China, other popular ones being "ritual officers" (faguan) as they at times call themselves, or "redhead" Taoist priests ( hongtou daoshi). There are also localised names, such as "orthodox lords" (duangong), "altar masters" (zhangtanshi), or "earth masters" (tulaoshi) in Guizhou. They are also in competition with other orders who perform similar services: monks and tantric masters under the auspices of Buddhism, and tongji medium. The difference between ritual masters and Deities' mediums is that instead of being subject to territorial gods like the mediums, the ritual masters can marshal the powers of local Deities. ==Red Taoist orders==

, Yilan, Taiwan Lushan school The Lushan (Mount Lu) school (, also or ), also known as Sannai school (), is present in Fujian, southern Zhejiang and Taiwan. It is very active nowadays, and is related to the worship of the goddess Chen Jinggu ("Young Quiet Lady") the Waterside Dame ( Línshuǐ Fūrén), who is very popular in the same area. The historical figure of the Buddhist monk Pu’an is worshipped by the practitioners as their "founding master" (zushi). Their texts, rituals and iconography incorporate Tantric themes adapted in a Taoist style, and have elements of the Zhengyi and Lushan traditions. Xujia school The Xujia school () is another form of ritual masters. ==Northern orders==

• Yuehu • Zhuli • Shenjia , families of hereditary specialists of gods and rites • Yinyang masters or fengshui masters, using the Lingbao scriptural tradition ==See also==