清代民問秘密宗教在下層社會蓬勃發展，但因官方基於政局穩定與社會風俗 維護的考量，遂制訂嚴苛的律例，派遣地方官員時加查禁、審理。然而，仍然有許多教派的 首領不畏嚴法的懲治，積極四處傳教，展現其頑強的生命力與韌性，這是教派得以生存、繁 衍的主要關鍵因素之一。教首興立教派的動機，據相關檔案資料的記載，多半是著眼於獲取 教徒所繳納的錢文，以為生計的經濟來源，而無關乎反抗清朝的意圖。他們憑著不同的宗教 背景，包括傳承師門、家學淵源、自行創教等情況做為傳教的教義基礎。此外，他們本身尚 須具備能吸引教徒的人格特質或群眾魅力等條件，諸如慧黠靈便、能言善道、縱談教義、自 我神化、擅製新奇、長於醫療、嫻演儀式等，以獲得教徒的信服。再加以其從事行業的多半 具有流動性的特點，俾於其來往各地傳播教派。教首透過積極鼓勵教徒對外傳教的方式，使 其入教人故不斷增加，其組塊規模亦趨於廠大、俄密，相對的他們從中獲得絕對的教樓與經 濟財富。這些創教教首為了永保教內的特權，乃實施教首世襲制度，使其族人可以透過血緣 關係將教權代代相傳，而不致落人外人手中。因此，在許多秘密教派中，出現不少傳教世家 長期掌教的情形，諸如清茶門教的王家、八卦教的劉家、羅教的羅家、老官齋教的姚家等皆 為顯例。如此一來，更便教派在下層社會的發展更有基礎，成為影響日後影響清廷政治局勢 與社會秩序不可忽視的潛在努力。

　　　　　The development of folk secret religious sects flourished in Ch'ing period. The sects were widely prevalent among the lower strata society. Because the leaders of most sects developed sects enthusiastically. It was difficult for the government authorities to prohibit the spreads of such sects. The popularity and the flourishing of the sects, I argue, were closely related to economic factors. The leaders of most sects came from poor families, so the motive they established new religious groups was in order to gain added income, not to resist government. Their religious background came from their teacher. Family or their own establishment. They used a combination of the gift of gab, crude folk medicine, religious theories, self deification, and many skills and tricks to attract believers. Most of their occupations were mobile, and it was beneficial to spread sects widely. They made money from believers' donation. Religious sects relied on word of mouth and complex networks to expand their scope by constantly soliciting new believers. The leaders of sects possessed much power and wealth, and they kept privilege permanently by establishing the institution of leaders hereditary. There were some tamous religious families, such as Wang, Liu, Lo families. Therefore, the foundation of sects was more profound, and these sects became latent force that influenced Ch'ing government and social order.