Why Don't Taoist Priests Change Their Surnames When They Become Monastics?

 Taoism believes that people can attain the state of immortality through cultivation.

Those pursuing the path of celestial immortality should first start with cultivating in the "human realm," and the most important aspect in the human realm is the "way of respecting parents."

Since ancient times, most of those who have achieved immortality were filial sons and daughters, for without filial piety, one is not qualified to attain the state of immortality.

Moreover, the surname is a symbolic feature that represents the inheritance and recognition of the Chinese nation's bloodline, and it is also a symbol of filial piety. Therefore, when Taoist priests become monastics, there is no need for them to change their surnames.