History and culture of lingzhi｜Lingzhi (Reishi), Clearly Explained

History and culture of lingzhi

Lingzhi has been recorded in China for more than two thousand years. The Shennong Bencao Jing (Divine Farmer’s Classic of Materia Medica) was the first to describe lingzhi’s types, origins, properties and uses systematically, dividing it by color into the “six zhi”: green, red, yellow, white, black and purple, a classification used all the way to Li Shizhen’s Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica) in the Ming dynasty. Lingzhi was seen as an auspicious sign, and its shape evolved into the ruyi, a symbol of good fortune found everywhere in palaces, ceremonial columns, paintings and objects. Notably, ancient physicians were also quite rational: Li Shizhen criticized the idea that eating lingzhi could make one immortal. This topic is mainly drawn from two popular books on lingzhi.

This topic includes 2 studies and reports, each linked to its source.

Related studies and records

Background
From “herb of immortality” to ruyi scepter: more than 2,000 years of lingzhi culture

Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica (神农本草经) is the earliest medical text to describe lingzhi’s types, origins, properties and uses systematically; it divided lingzhi by color into the “six zhi”. From the Han dynasty onward, lingzhi was seen as an auspicious omen and later evolved into the ruyi, a symbol of good fortune; the “lingzhi and auspicious clouds” carved on the ornamental columns in front of Tiananmen in Beijing are one example.

Book on lingzhiSummarized from a published book; verifiable by title and ISBN

Published book · see title and ISBN in the source
Background
Ancient scholars also criticized lingzhi superstitions

Ancient medical scholars took a rational view of lingzhi. In the Compendium of Materia Medica (本草纲目), Li Shizhen noted that zhi grows from the lingering energy of rotting wood and has been regarded as an auspicious plant in all ages, but that the idea of “eating it to become immortal” is pedantic nonsense. Ancient scholars also criticized some mistaken ideas about lingzhi.

Book on lingzhiSummarized from a published book; verifiable by title and ISBN

Published book · see title and ISBN in the source

History and culture of lingzhi

From “herb of immortality” to ruyi scepter: more than 2,000 years of lingzhi culture

How the study was done

What the researchers say

Source

Ancient scholars also criticized lingzhi superstitions

How the study was done

Source