这是一片广袤的土地，位于中国版图的西北偏北区域，被称为亚洲的枢纽。两千多年前，西汉的使者张骞，肩负国家使命，两度出使这一地区，后来人们沿用司马迁对这一区域的称谓西域，即我国西部及其以西的广大地区。
秦汉之际，我国北方游牧民族匈奴强大起来，控制了西域地区，对西域诸民族进行残酷剥削。与此同时，汉帝国北面的匈奴游牧政权时常南下中原，迫使汉高祖刘邦签订了城下之盟。经过汉初的休养生息，到了汉武帝时期，西汉王朝国力强盛起来，开始大规模反击匈奴，并取得了军事上的胜利，匈奴在内外交困中陷入分裂状态。
公元前60年，西汉政府正式在乌垒城（今新疆维吾尔自治区轮台县东）设立西域都护府，对西域诸国进行行政管辖，自此汉之号令班西域矣。西域都护府的设立，标志着新疆正式列入汉朝版图，成为我国领土中不可分割的一部分。大唐盛世时，唐王朝在西域设立了安西都护府和北庭都护府，对西域的管辖进一步加强。
历史的车轮驻足在光绪十年十月初二，即公元1884 年11 月19 日。这一天，清廷颁布了一道人事任免的谕旨，任命刘锦棠为新疆巡抚，他就此成为新疆历史上第一位巡抚。也就是在这一天，清政府以故土新归之意，为这块被外族入侵十余年的中国领土起了一个新名字新疆。
新疆，是丝绸之路上的一个重要枢纽。而产生于汉代的道教，从长安出发，穿越平原黄沙，沿着丝绸古道，伴着阵阵驼铃声，一路向西而行……
一 历史的回眸
1 跨越千年的爱情 ···························································3
2 横渡戈壁瀚海的旅程 ························································5
3 乾定西域：清代新疆道教 ···················································13
二 坛庙：心灵的寄托
1 新疆门户 ··································································20
2 天山脚下 ··································································26
3 伊犁河畔···································································48
4 环塔之洲 ··································································57
三 道教人物
1 空谷幽兰：隐者的世界 ···················································64
2 寻常巷陌：城市的生活 ···················································66
3 历史名人与西域道教 ···················································70
4 民国旧事札记 ···························································83
四 道韵新疆
1 人生成长的历程 ···························································88
2 乡土文化的写生 ···························································93
3 模糊的边界 ···························································98
五 道之未来
1 影响近代新疆道教发展的原因探微 ···········································107
2 对未来新疆道教发展的思考 ···········································113
参考文献 ···························································123
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