“Long-term consumption of Lingzhi promotes lightness of body and prolongs life”—such is the assessment found in ancient medical texts, as well as the cherished experience gained by people who have been consuming Lingzhi for generations. This tangible experience, refined and enduring through the passage of time, has gradually transformed into an intangible blessing.

Lingzhi for the Emperor’s Birthday Celebration

Just like “Shou Chang Jin Zhi,” included in the second volume of “Wan Shou Wu Jiang,” it seems that the more you gaze at the five-colored lingzhi mushroom depicted in the painting, the longer your earthly years will naturally become.

Of course, this painting was originally created to pray for the emperor’s blessings and long life, and was later collected by Emperor Xuantong of the Qing Dynasty. It vividly illustrates the remarkable effects of reishi mushroom on health and longevity—effects that simply cannot be matched by ordinary Chinese medicinal herbs.

"Shouchang Jinzhi"—Collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei
(This piece measures 39×35 cm; the paired piece measures 39×35 cm.)

There’s an even more direct way to express blessings for good fortune and longevity with lingzhi—simply integrate the lingzhi into the character “shou” (longevity). The main design is adorned with a rich array of auspicious flowers, including magnolias, peonies, plum blossoms, chrysanthemums, orchids, peaches, roses, wisteria, hydrangeas, narcissus, and crabapples. Finally, a few red and purple lingzhi mushrooms are used to add that finishing touch—a graceful flourish that elevates the “shou” character itself, adding even more longevity to the already auspicious symbol.

Judging from the masterful technique of “carving and weaving combined with painting” employed throughout the entire work, as well as clues such as the seal mark “Qing Xuantong Seal,” it is reasonable to conclude that this piece was created by a court painter from the early Qing dynasty—most likely as a grand gift presented by an emperor to his mother on her birthday, or perhaps as a ceremonial tribute offered by the court to the emperor himself. Clearly, the purported ability of lingzhi mushrooms to prolong life and enhance longevity had reached a point where even the emperor was willing to use them as a gesture of filial piety toward his mother.

"Kesi Large Character for Longevity" — Collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei
(208 × 132.6 cm)

A close-up of “Kesi Large Longevity Character”

Reishi mushrooms pray for the prosperity of the nation.

In ancient times, people used lingzhi to wish for “longevity,” and this practice wasn't limited to individuals—it was also applied to the nation and its institutions.

The “Picture of the Auspicious Tree,” completed in the 15th year of the Qing Emperor Gaozong’s reign (1750 AD) and commissioned by Emperor Qianlong to the court painter Wang Youxue, depicts the legendary old elm tree whose fate was said to be closely tied to the destiny of the Qing Dynasty. At the base of the tree trunk, several specimens of lingzhi mushrooms—symbols of good fortune—are prominently displayed.

"Painting of Auspicious Trees by Qing Dynasty Scholar Wang Youxue"—Collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei
(339.1 × 197.8 cm)

A detail from "Painting of Auspicious Trees by Qing Wang Youxue"

Wang Youxue, a court painter who had studied under Lang Shining, drew inspiration from the lines in Emperor Qianlong’s “Ode to the Auspicious Tree”—“From crown to root, it stretches over ten zhang; its towering form is rugged and uneven, with nine specimens of lingzhi mushroom, each bearing three exquisite blooms…”—and blended traditional ink painting with Western-style oil painting to create an image of the sacred tree at Yongling that he himself had never seen before.

From the perspective of modern biology, which views lingzhi as a plant disease, the old elm tree in reality shouldn't have been growing lingzhi at all. It is only because of people's deep-rooted and longstanding impression of lingzhi as an auspicious symbol that the divine tree in the painting seems to radiate with the splendor of lingzhi.

Lingzhi wishes for peace and prosperity in the realm.

Just as health is the foundation of longevity, a nation’s enduring prosperity undoubtedly hinges on the harmony and stability of its society and state.

The "Painting of the Ten-Thousand-Year Flower-Branch," commissioned by Grand Secretary Wang Chengpei (?–1805) during Emperor Qianlong’s sixth tour to Jiangnan (the 49th year of Qianlong’s reign, A.D. 1784), is the finest depiction of lingzhi offering prayers for the prosperity and stability of the state.

Wang Chengpei, who at the time served as Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Works and was also skilled in poetry, calligraphy, and painting, depicted the graceful beauty of 24 different flowers and trees on a 5.5-meter-long scroll. By transcending the limitations of the four seasons, he used the imagery of “a hundred flowers heralding auspiciousness” to symbolize “a prosperous and peaceful era.” This work not only paid tribute to the emperor but also offered blessings for the stability and well-being of the nation.

If you have the chance, you can simply search “Painting Ten Thousand Years and Sixty Years” on Baidu to view the full panorama. Here, we’re only presenting a partial view of the painting that focuses on the lingzhi mushroom.

Detail from “Painting of the Ten-Thousand-Year Flower-Branch Scroll” by Wang Chengpei of the Qing Dynasty, Collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei
(Overall length: 37.5 × 549.8 cm)

When inscribing at the end of the scroll, Wang Chengpei wrote that he created this painting to symbolize the nation’s “sixtieth year” as a metaphor for the “steady and continuous renewal of the dynasty, cycling endlessly,” and to express his hope that the state would “demonstrate its enduring prosperity and flourishing, and thus emulate the grand blessings and auspiciousness.”

The full-scale painting is even more magnificent than the Song Dynasty’s “Along the River During the Qingming Festival”—yet what we see before us represents less than one-eighth of its entirety. Unlike the everyday trees and flowers we’re accustomed to—such as pines, cypresses, peaches, plum blossoms, chrysanthemums, and narcissus—which seem merely “placed in for decoration,” this lingzhi mushroom, with its ethereal presence, actually serves as the finishing touch that brings the entire composition to life. From the concentric ring patterns on its cap, to the milky-white, densely packed pore layer at its base, and to the stem still bearing its milky-white primordia—evidence of its recent emergence—the lingzhi mushroom, steeped in age-old tradition, is far from a mere product of imagination.

Only emperors blessed by reishi mushrooms can truly display great virtue; only those whose sixtieth birthdays are graced by the radiance of reishi can enjoy longevity for ten thousand years. When Emperor Qianlong smiled knowingly and stamped this painting with the imperial seal “For Imperial Inspection,” perhaps his youthful vigor and passion were once again beginning to surge within him.

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