本文通過爬梳史料中對晚唐道士周息元生平與事蹟的記載，認識到他從一基層道士至躋身受唐敬宗徵召的高道之流的歷程。這與他所獲得的地方聲望和在士大夫群體中的認同度有密切的關係，即通過上述二者的逐漸積累，進而獲得士大夫的薦舉至中央王朝。這是一種有別於唐代前中期道士，直接圍繞中央政權獲得和拓展影響力的政教關係模式，此變化與道教在晚唐的處境有關。本論文通過對李德裕在周息元入京前後態度轉變的分析，指出晚唐道士在影響士大夫的過程中，士大夫往往存在「私人」和「公共」的兩種立場。從周息元的經歷可以證明，儘管士大夫在私人好道的立場上容許、甚至追尋看似怪誕的技法和神聖表徵，但卻不認同這些方面的表徵影響到與王朝政權合法性相關的公共話語領域。

Through detailed observation and collection of the historical materials concerning the life and events of the Taoist priest Xi-yuan Zhou in the Late Tang Dynasty, this article elaborates that his change from a local priest to a national known priest and even his enlisted by the Emperor Tang JingZong was closely related to the provincial fame and recognization he gained among the community of governmental officials. By the gradual accumulation of the above mentioned fame and recognization, and also through the recommandation by the governmental officals, he obtained the attention of the central authority. This politics-religion relationship was different from the mode of the Taoist priests in the Early and Middle Tang Dynasty, who acquired and expanded their influence directly through the central authority. This conversion was, in some degree, connected with the change of the Taoism’s status in the Late Tang Dynasty. And then, by analyzing the change of attitude of governmental officials before and after the arrival of Xi-yuan Zhou at the capital city, this article points out that, in the Late Tang Dynasty, during the process of being influnenced by the Taoist priests, the governmental officials usually have two different positons, “priviate” one and “public” one. And by observing the experience of Xi-yuan Zhou, one conclusion can be made and testified：despite their in the private position, out of religious faith, the governmental officals could tolerate and even follow the apparently eerie religious techniques and holy signs, but they would not allow them to influnence the area of public opinions (which was) related to the legitimacy of the Dynasty’s authority.