LORE — REISHI​

Reishi was gathered from aging hardwood forests where it grew upon decaying logs, stumps, and dying trees. Its lacquered surface, deep reds, and polished sheen made it unlike any other woodland mushroom. Though firm and woody, it was cut while fresh and dried whole for later use.

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It was seldom eaten as food. Instead, slices were slowly simmered into long decoctions or preserved within tinctures, becoming a familiar preparation throughout East Asia.

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It was associated with mountain forests, old trees, mist, and longevity.

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Throughout China, Japan, and Korea, Reishi was regarded as one of the most esteemed mushrooms of the forest. Long before it was cultivated, wild specimens were uncommon, making each discovery a welcome find among those who gathered medicinal plants from the mountains.

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Known in China as Lingzhi and in Japan as Reishi, the mushroom appears throughout traditional art, paintings, and carvings, often held by scholars, healers, and immortals. 

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Gatherers searched old forests where fallen timber had been left to decay, returning season after season to places where the mushroom had appeared before, it's rarity making it valuable.