The Qing dynasty ordered a haircut and a change of clothes. Why are Taoist priests the only exception?

This is the concession of the Qing rulers to the shaving policy. The implementation of a policy cannot be perfect. Taoist priests who don't shave their heads and change clothes are exceptions to the policy of shaving their heads and changing clothes.

When the policy of shaving and changing clothes was first introduced, many Han people opposed it because it was not in line with their culture. However, the policy still needs to be implemented, so the rulers of the Qing Dynasty made corresponding concessions, which is commonly known as "ten obedience and ten disobedience".

Generally speaking, men need to shave their heads, women don't, and the dead don't need to shave their heads. Scholars should shave their heads, Taoist priests don't have to shave their heads, actors can wear Ming Dynasty costumes and so on. With obedience, the policy of shaving and changing clothes is better implemented among the people.

There is another saying that Zhang Tianshi and Changyue Wang got it from the emperor shunzhi. However, this statement is not very reliable. How can it be that one or two people can change the policy of shaving hair and changing clothes in order to consolidate political power?

Although Taoist priests don't have to shave their heads and change clothes, this policy is still successful. It better safeguarded the rule of the ruling class in the Qing Dynasty and prevented the Qing Dynasty from being assimilated by the Han culture.

Of course, the rulers of the Qing dynasty also wanted their descendants to know where they came from and their own nation. Therefore, shaving and changing clothes have always retained Manchu characteristics.

As can be seen from the later film and television dramas, people in the Qing Dynasty shaved their hair and changed their clothes, indicating that this policy finally achieved great success. As for Taoist priests and monks, only a few people, with one exception, had no influence on the political rule of the Qing Dynasty. Therefore, the Qing dynasty ordered shaving and changing clothes, except for Taoist priests.