清代民間秘密宗教相當盛行，普遍流傳於下層社會，其緣由與其發揮諸多社會功能有密切關連，特別是為患者提供民俗醫療的管道，頗能得到平民百姓的注意與信服，成為其擴展教務主要憑藉之一。這些秘密教派常用的醫療方式包括茶葉治病、誦念經卷、畫符念咒、針灸按摩、燒香祈禱、坐功運氣等，其中尤以畫符念咒療法最富神秘色彩，其治病形式帶有巫術性質。各教派認為其符咒蘊含無限神力，其治療過程通常是秘密教派師傅向神靈膜拜溝通、口誦咒語、施法畫符後，患者如佩戴符紙或服飲符水，乃至聽聞或習誦咒語，即能發揮治病效果。由於此療法具求醫稱便、療程簡易等特點，加上平民百姓對於符咒神效甚為信服，故一旦染患疾病，又身處醫療條件欠佳的環境中，遂嘗試向秘密教派師傅求治，以祈早日病癒。對於後者而言，他們藉由此療法獲得經濟利益，並藉機宣揚教義，吸引更多群眾求醫，進而拜師入教，對於教派的擴勢甚具影響。

The development of folk secret religious sects flourished in Ch’ing period. The sects were widely prevalent among the lower strata society. For the sects provided many kinds of social function (especially folk medical treatment), it was easier to attract common people to joint their religious activities. The medical methods of the sects included treatment by tea eaves, reciting scripture, chanting incantation, drawing charms, massage, acupuncture, burning joss sticks, meditation, circulation of breath, etc. In these medical methods, the most mystical method was treatment of chants and incantations, and the form of the treatment was similar to sorcery. The sects believed the charms and incantation including unlimited magical energy could cure disease. The process of this treatment was first to worship and communicate the deity, then to recite the incantations, and to draw the charms. If the patients wore the charms or drank charm water, even listened or recited the incantation, it was effective for cure. Because this treatment was convenient, and common people convinced the mystical effect, they tried to seek cure when they suffered from disease in worse medical circumstance. After finishing the process of cure by charms and incantation, the masters of the sects not only gained money from the patients, but also urged them to attend the sects. Owing to the teacher-pupil relationship was established constantly by medical treatment, it would affect widely the expansion of the sects.