Historically speaking, Daoists are members of the Daoist religious community. They are adherents who revere the Dao as sacred and who identify or are affiliated with the Chinese religious tradition which is Daoism. The ways in which Daoists have and continue to establish and maintain such association are complex. They relate to issues of identity. Some traditional patterns of affiliation include initiation, lineage, mystical experiences, ordination, and revelation. Traditional Daoist terms for adherents include daoshi 道士 (Daoist priests or monastics), daoren 道人 (lay believers), shengren 聖人 (sages), xianren 仙人 (immortals/transcendents), and zhenren 真人 (Perfected), among others.
Baoji 寶鷄 Daoist Association (Shaanxi; circa 1943)
Within the Daoist tradition, distinctions are often made between clergy and laypeople, as different forms of participation require different degrees of training and commitment. In a modern global context, a distinction may also be made between adherents and sympathizers.
For a specific presentation see the discussion of Daoist Lineage at the Daoist Foundation.
Further Reading: Daoism: A Short Introduction/James Miller; Daoism and Chinese Culture/Livia Kohn; Daoism Handbook/Livia Kohn (ed.); Daoist Identity/Livia Kohn and Harold Roth (eds.); Daoism in China/Wang Yi’e; Taoism: The Enduring Tradition/Russell Kirkland.
See also Adherent, Dao, Daoist (Normative), Daoist (Popular Construction), Sympathizer and the entries on Daoism.