《茅山誌》Vol. 19

Mount Mao (a sacred Daoist mountain located in present-day Jurong, Jiangsu) records five types of miraculous spirit mushrooms (lingzhi) in the 19th volume of its Mount Mao Chronicle. Compiled by the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) patriarch Liu Dabin, these accounts primarily describe the rituals for Daoist practitioners seeking these divine herbs and the distinctive characteristics of each variety.

To search for these celestial medicines, one must ascend the mountain on an auspicious day in either the third or ninth lunar month. The Daoist prepares two golden rings as tokens of faith, making an oath to the mountain deities (the Two Lords). This ritual must be repeated three times to seal the covenant, after which the golden rings are cast among the mountain rocks—the seeker must not look back. Daoism considers blue-green metal objects to best embody sincerity, hence the golden rings are essential.

The text details the forms of the five spirit mushrooms:

The first, called Dragon Immortal Mushroom (Longxian Zhi), has leaves resembling dragon scales and roots coiled like a serpent's body. The second, Participation Mushroom (Shencheng Zhi), glows red throughout and produces metallic sounds when its branches are struck; when broken, it miraculously rejoins itself. The third, Swallow Embryo Mushroom (Yantai Zhi), resembles purple sunflower leaves with patterns of swallows that appear ready to take flight. The fourth, Night Illumination Cavern Herb (Yeguang Dongcao), emits light in darkness; its fallen fruits rapidly enlarge, illuminating entire rooms like mirrors. The fifth, White Jade Mushroom (Bai'e Yuzhi), has a unique but incompletely recorded form.

Additional entries describe other rare herbs like the Firefly Mushroom (Yinghuo Zhi, found on Mount Liangchang—it glows purple at night, and consuming it allegedly grants daylight vision in darkness), Nine-Stemmed Purple Fungus (Jiujing Ziju Langge Zhi), and Cinnabar Jade Nectar (Danzhu Yujiang). However, the author emphasizes that unless one has already attained immortality, ordinary practitioners will struggle to find these treasures.

Regarding mineral-based elixirs, the text documents Stone Brain (Shinao, from caves north of Mount Fang—Jiang Bozhen ingested it to cure rheumatism, experiencing bodily heat without thirst) and Stone Milk (Shizhongru, a Mount Mao specialty with dark color yet smooth texture and mildly cooling properties). These records reflect Daoism's meticulous observation of natural medicines and its health-preserving philosophy of cultivation through ingestion.

The Maoshan region is renowned for producing various precious medicinal herbs and plants. Among them, the Yu Yu Liang (a mineral-based medicinal substance) is of exceptional quality, resembling bezoar in appearance with layered patterns on its surface. The finest variety appears purple, with a texture as fine as flour and no gritty sensation when chewed. For use, it must be ground finely, mixed with water, and the clear liquid from the upper layer is collected, ensuring no sand or soil contaminates it. Tao Hongjing (known by his sobriquet "the Recluse") of the Southern Dynasties period collected particularly exquisite specimens in Maoshan, distinguished by purple patterns, making them ideal for ingestion.

The Nan Zhu tree (also called Hou Shu Cao, Nan Xu, or Wei Na Mu) is a unique plant with a trunk resembling wood and leaves like grass. According to the Inner Biography of the Pure Void Perfected Nan Zhu, the finest specimens come from the Fangshan region. In Jiangsu and Zhejiang, it is also known as Ran Shu. The Deng Zhen Yin Jue mentions that although the yield is low in the Sanmao and Siping mountains, the trees there grow exceptionally tall, bearing fruits similar to cornelian cherries that ripen in the eighth and ninth months, with a sweet and sour taste. The leaves are asymmetrical, resembling tea leaves but rounder and thicker, slightly sour, and evergreen throughout the year. The branches have a faint purple hue, and mature trees can reach heights of four to five zhang, though their brittle nature makes them prone to breaking. The Nan Tian Zhu mentioned in Shen Kuo's Good Prescriptions is not the same plant.

Zhu (white atractylodes) from Baishan, Jiangshan, and Maoshan is considered the highest quality. Lady Zixi (Purple Tenuity) in the Zhen Gao particularly praised its efficacy and recorded various methods of ingestion. Peonies from these three mountains are also superior, characterized by their white color and slender form, whereas those from other regions are mostly red. The Peony Manual documents three unique varieties from Maoshan: Guanzi, Zilouzi, and Maoshan Red.

Polygonatum (Huang Jing), when steamed and sun-dried nine times before ingestion, is said to enhance beauty and complexion. Tao Hongjing noted that this is an elixir highly regarded in Daoist scriptures, with its roots, leaves, flowers, and fruits all serving medicinal purposes—consumable as wine infusions or ground powder. Fleeceflower root (He Shou Wu) gained recognition after the Tang Dynasty monk Wenxiang encountered an immortal elder in Maoshan, leading Li Ao to compile a specialized record of prescriptions for it.

The aconite (Fu Zi, also called Mao Fu) native to Maoshan is smaller than its Sichuan counterpart and slightly milder in potency, primarily used to dispel dampness. Aconite (Wu Tou) shares similar medicinal properties. Calamus (Chang Pu) grows in deep pools, with twelve nodes per cun (inch). Additionally, Maoshan is abundant in other medicinal herbs such as poria cocos (Fu Ling), white atractylodes (Bai Zhu), wolfberry (Gou Qi), alisma (Ze Xie), coptis (Huang Lian), and cassia seeds (Jue Ming Zi).

The Maoshan Zhi (Records of Mount Mao) documents the mountain's abundant botanical resources, divided primarily into medicinal herbs and rare trees.

The medicinal section lists over a dozen Chinese herbs, including maoqiong (a type of ligusticum), platycodon root, and asarum. Among them, the golden rosa fruit (a medicinal plant) could be boiled into a paste, mixed with wine, and consumed—its taste sweet as malt sugar.

The rare trees section details ancient specimens across Mount Mao: the Jade Dawn Temple housed a twisted cypress personally planted by Magistrate Xu; the Crane Summit Pine atop Crane Temple was said to have been left behind when Lord Mao ascended to immortality; the Nine Sun Pine north of Golden Mushroom Mountain had branches coiled like dragons; the Recluse Pine at Mystic Isle Retreat and the Crouching Dragon Pine beside the Pure Truth Temple each bore unique features. The Scripture Terrace Cypress before the Great Primordial Hall of Longevity Temple was transplanted from the ancient Laozi's Scripture Terrace in Shaanxi, its form exceptionally graceful. Lower Marsh Palace once had a pear tree where the Great Director of Fate built a hut to await his brother—now only a cinnabar well and a drum shell carved from the ancient tree remain.

Particular mention goes to the ancient tree by Fortune Village Well, which grew more luxuriant despite its half-rotted trunk, planted by Crown Prince Zhaoming of Liang. Also notable were the Twin Trees, whose crowns naturally fused without seam, and the purple iris along the eastern stream, said to have been planted by the female immortal Qian Miaozhen. Finally, the text notes fragrant plants like magnolia, orchids, and hui grass, with magnolia—a variant of zhiying—possessing an especially pure and serene character.

These plants, valued for their medicinal properties or immortal lore, collectively shape Mount Mao’s distinctive natural and cultural landscape.