從漢隋之間的一些道教傳記資料來看，在早期道教的傳統中，有一些道士是「因病入道」，甚至因而「得道」，其模式臺分成三種。 第一種臺稱之為「因病遇仙」，也就是在病痛折磨之時，巧遇仙人（道士），或仙人（道士）主動顯現，給予醫治，病人在痊癒之後，開始「求道」、「修道」，甚至因而得道。 第二種臺稱之為「因病求道」，也就是在罹病之後，主動向道士求救，他們多半久病，多方醫治無效之後，才轉而求道，因而獲得醫治或療病的道法，病癒之後則開始或繼續修道，有人因而得道。 第三種臺稱之為「病中修道」，也就是在修道時，因宿疾未除或罹患新病，因而更堅定其修道之心，或主動向其他道士尋求醫治之道，或感動仙真而蒙救助，而終告痊癒。

　　　　　Taoist anecdotes from the Han and Sui dynasties reveal that in medieval China, illness usually constituted an initiation in the practice of Taoism; that is, it transformed the profane individual into a Taoist priest. There were three types of such transformation. First, those who fell ill and were cured by old Taoist masters or immortals became Toaist disciples. Second, some, especially those who contracted chronic diseases, eagerly looked for Taoist healing. At any rate, all those that were cured began to practice Taoist methods in order to reach the state of immortality. Third, some Toists, however, still suffered from various diseases after their initiation. In these cases, they basically regarded illness as a "test" or a necessary "purification" for them to become an immortal. Not matter how serious their illness, they never gave up their faith in Taoist deities or their pursuit of immortality, thus leading them to recovery.