自1839年攝影術的出現，不僅僅讓真實世界得到了複寫，人們的記憶則有了新技術的承載。無庸置疑，攝影術傳入中國後在社會與生活各個層面造成了相當大的影響，攝影具有可以大量複製、如歷眼前的實證傳播特性，也讓各種宗教團體的活動記錄和宣傳上產生了新的變化。以1928年於北京新創立的全真千峰派趙避塵為例，他在1933年刊行的《性命法訣明指》特別刊印了祖師傳法和眾多弟子的照片，顯示法脈傳承。民初的佛教界也充分運用了攝影照片這樣的宣傳工具；民初佛教界龍象輩出，其中虛雲以禪修和高壽聞名；1926年他在昆明雲栖寺「枯梅、青菜同開蓮花」的神異照片與傳記文本，塑造起虛雲傳奇一生；藉由照片帶來新的觀覽經驗，伴隨民國佛教刊物的興盛所提供廣大的傳播場域，支撐了各種可能的想像。此外，民初救世團體之中道德學社的師尊段正元也有許多關於照片創新的做法；他常藉由照相來呈現自己不同時期、不同階段的自我形貌。《申集大成》可以視為是段正元的寫真書，內附照片多張，其中還有許多張用後製與多重曝光方式完成的。段正元被弟子們尊為師尊，弟子於朔望兩日，必須齋戒沐浴，向師尊的玉照行跪拜禮；師尊照片在社內的儀式中，具有非常重要的意義；道德學社還行所謂的性功和命功，在行功之前，為了幫助收攝心神，師尊的照片成了最好的憑藉；道德學社還有專屬的攝影機構「大同攝影社」專為段正元的形象進行記錄，大量印製與發送。過去明清民間宗教具有神祕性的祖師，至此開始進入公開的視域。而權力的再現，有了照片這樣的新載體。

The appearance of photography in 1839 enabled not only the duplication of the physical world but also new technological forms of recording human memories. In the case of modern China, the introduction of photographic techniques exerted a profound influence on many dimensions of social life, including religion. For many religious groups, the ability to produce large numbers of photographic images that were said to exhibit miraculous powers proved an invaluable tool for spreading their beliefs and practices. Accordingly, since the early years of the Republic of China, famous religious leaders like the Daoist Zhao Bichen 趙避塵used photos to demonstrate the transmission of their teachings. Buddhism also took full advantage of photography as a means of advertising, especially many renowned Buddhist masters. One example involves Xuyun 虛雲, famous for his Chan practice and longevity, who in 1920 dedicated considerable effort creating a photographic chronicle of his life at the Yunxi Monastey (Yunxi si 雲栖寺) in Kunming. Another instance featured Duan Zhengyuan 段正元 of the Moral Studies Society (Daode xueshe 道德學社), who utilized photography to present stages of his life, while also stipulating that believers worship photos of him on the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month or during specific rituals as a means of enhancing their self-cultivation practices. The Society even established its own studio for processing these photographs. Taken as a whole, the evidence presented in this paper reveals that photography played a major role in bringing religious beliefs and practices into a new place in Chinese public life.