What is the Fangshi (方士)?

Fangshi, also known as "fangshushi" (方術士), "youfang zhishi" (有方之士), or "shushi" (術士), refers to those who practice fangshu (方術, esoteric skills or occult arts), and it is an earlier term for "daoshi" (道士, Taoist priests).  

The origin of "fangshi" dates back to ancient times. For example, legendary figures in ancient myths such as the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu), the King Father of the East (Dongwanggong), and the Goddess Su Nu (素女) were all regarded as fangshi.  
In *Records of the Grand Historian: The 本纪 of the First Emperor of Qin* (*Shiji·Shihuang Benji*), Qin Shi Huang stated, "I have summoned many scholars and fangshi." In Song Yu's *Ode to Gaotang* (*Gaotang Fu*), figures like Xianmen, Gaoxi, Shangcheng, Yulin, Gongle, and Jugu were called "youfang zhishi" (those who possess esoteric skills).  

The term "daoshi" first appeared in the Han Dynasty. In *Book of Han: Treatise on Natural Disasters and Human Errors* (*Hanshu·Wuxingzhi*), it is recorded, "When the daoshi began to leave, this was a misfortune." The *Biography of Xu Man* (*Xu Man Zhuan*) also states, "While traveling, he met the daoshi Zhang Junju." Since the Eastern Han Dynasty, "fangshi" has gradually been referred to as "daoshi." After the Jin Dynasty, the term "fangshi" became less common, while "daoshi" increasingly gained popularity.