《太上靈寶芝草品》

The Supreme Numinous Treasure Compendium of Divine Herbs is a classic text documenting miraculous plants and medicinal substances. It states that the primary method for prolonging life lies in ingesting immortal elixirs, with such precious knowledge of longevity being recorded in secret scriptures. Legends tell of immortals who could command spirits and deities—for instance, Guangchengzi transmitted Daoist cultivation methods to the Yellow Emperor (Xuanyuan) at Mount Kongtong, while Chisongzi consumed crystal jade in the Kunlun Palace and instructed the Flame Emperor (Yandi). These beings rode winds and harnessed rains, journeyed through sacred mountains, and observed plants, discovering that divine mushrooms (Lingzhi) manifested in countless forms difficult to distinguish. Thus, they created illustrated records to aid cultivators in identifying and consuming these herbs to attain immortality.

Below are detailed descriptions of five jade mushrooms:

Azure Jade Mushroom (Qingyu Zhi)

Grows in the mountains of Yangzhou, with a sweet yet slightly sour taste. Consuming it grants a lifespan of 120,000 years—the immortal Wangzi Qiao once partook of it. Guarded by an azure tiger, this mushroom has four layers according to illustrations: the second layer features two branches, with both stem and cap appearing blue-green.

Crimson Jade Mushroom (Chiyu Zhi)

Found on Mount Yuzhou, possessing a bitter flavor. The immortal Chisongzi achieved transcendence after consuming it. Protected by a crimson tiger and red fish, its stem and cap are red, divided into two layers: the lower bears two small mushrooms with caps, while the upper also has two small capped mushrooms.

Yellow Jade Mushroom (Huangyu Zhi)

Thrives on the immortal isle of Penglai, yellow in color with a pungent taste. The Daoist deity Dongwangfu (Eastern King Father) ingested it and lived 90,000 years before attaining immortality. Guarded by a yellow tiger and yellow fish, it has three layers—the lower section splits into three branches (some texts mention nine caps)—with both stem and cap being yellow.

White Jade Mushroom (Baiyu Zhi)

Grows on the immortal mountain Fangzhang, with a spicy taste. Its white-capped form has four layers: the lowest bears two specimens, while the upper layers hold three. It often appears on large boulders, yellow sands, decaying tree roots, beneath towering trees, or in shaded areas of famous mountains. Consumption leads to immortality, protected by a white tiger.

Black Jade Mushroom (Heiyu Zhi)

Resides within Mount Guishan, tasting sweet yet tart. The immortal Xianyuzi achieved transcendence through its ingestion. Guarded by a black tiger, its illustrated form shows two small black branches atop four layers, with red stems and caps.

Collectively termed the "Jade Mushrooms of the Five Thearchs," these five fungi represent vital elixirs for Daoist practitioners seeking longevity.

The Supreme Numinous Treasure Compendium of Mushrooms records the growth environments and miraculous effects of various magical lingzhi mushrooms:

The Jade Mushrooms of the Five Emperors grow in famous mountains like Songshan, displaying five colors and transformations. They correspond to the Five Phases (Wuxing) and four seasons, and consuming them when harvested in their respective seasons can lead to immortality. These mushrooms have three layers, with the lower two layers each having two opposing branches.

Green Emperor's Jade Mushroom:

Grows beneath large trees in famous mountains, shrouded in yellow clouds. It has a green canopy, red interior, white stem, and sour taste. Harvested and consumed on spring days corresponding to the Heavenly Stems Jia or Yi (甲乙日), it grants eternal youth.

Red Emperor's Jade Mushroom:

Grows on southern slopes of famous mountains with red canopy, yellow interior, white stem, and red clouds above. Its bittersweet taste makes it ideal for summer harvest; consuming it brings 4,000 years of immortality.

Yellow Emperor's Jade Mushroom:

Grows atop famous mountains, encircled by five-colored clouds. With yellow canopy, white stem, and bittersweet flavor, it dispels fear when consumed and grants 30,000 years of immortality.

White Emperor's Jade Mushroom:

Found among heavy stones on southern slopes of famous mountains. Its white canopy, green stem, black interior, and sweet taste confer 3,000 years of immortality when eaten.

Black Emperor's Jade Mushroom:

Thrives in northern valleys of famous mountains beneath black clouds. The black-canopied mushroom with green interior, yellow stem, and sweet-sour flavor brings eternal youth when harvested and consumed in winter.

Eastern Mushroom:

Grows in southern valleys of famous mountains with green-red interior, two-layered structure, white canopy, green stem, and sour taste. Consumption extends lifespan by 100,000 years.

Southern Mushroom:

Flourishes on southern mountain slopes, entirely red with three branches. Its bitter taste requires harvesting with bamboo knives. After shade-drying for 100 days, consuming one qian (钱) dose grants 30,000 years of immortality.

Central Mushroom:

Found on northern mountain slopes with white canopy, yellow stem, black interior, and two forked branches whose tips curve downward like hanging canopies. Guarded by yellow goats, it must be harvested with wooden knives; consumption leads to immortality.

(Note: "Jia or Yi days" refer to days marked by these Heavenly Stems in the traditional calendar, considered particularly auspicious for herb gathering in Daoist practice.)

The Western Mushroom grows on the northern slopes of famous mountains, with white caps and black gills, its blue-green stalks dividing into three branches. Its taste is sweet with a hint of pungency, and consuming it grants ten thousand years of immortality.

The Northern Mushroom thrives on northern mountain slopes, featuring black caps and tripartite stalks. Sweet in flavor, those who eat it gain immortality, becoming impervious to drowning in water and achieving agelessness for eighty thousand years. A black ox stands guard over this fungus.

The Stone Mortar Mushroom grows on Mount Shaoshi, perpetually shrouded in crimson clouds with yellow tigers guarding its flanks. Its mottled red-and-black cap opposes the Jade Mushroom's stalk. Harvesters must observe thirty days of purification rituals, then at cockcrow declare themselves "Heavenly Purification General's Envoy" while donning colorful robes and black ceremonial attire before gathering. Consuming just one ge (about 60ml) extends life for six hundred thousand years (some texts say one hundred sixty thousand). Found in rocky crevices, its bittersweet taste accompanies a square-rooted, three-foot-tall growth.

The Wood Spirit Mushroom flourishes on northern Songshan, sporting yellow caps with black gills beneath crimson clouds guarded by vermilion birds. Collected on the wuji-chen days of the sixth month, its consumption grants nine thousand years of immortality. Its block-like form resembles polished square stones.

The Ghost Fungus inhabits northern famous mountains, its steamer-shaped white caps watched over by twin specters. Vanishing at human approach, it must be gathered at night and dried in shade for a hundred days before consumption. A mere daogui dose (about 0.3g) suffices—even the Weaving Maiden attained ascension through its use.

The Human Majesty Mushroom grows across Songshan, Shaoshi, and Taishi mountains, anthropomorphic in form with crimson hues and caps shifting between yellow and red. Its sweet taste confers undying longevity; continuous consumption for one hundred thousand years results in transcendence.

The Gold Essence Mushroom thrives on Mount Hua, its white caps adorned with cloud-like patterns resembling sparrows on the stalks. Pungently sweet, when harvested on ren days of the tenth month and shade-dried for a century, it grants eight thousand years of life. The ancient immortal Han Zhong achieved transcendence through its consumption.

The Yellow Mushroom grows on loess mountains, its triple-layered golden caps exuding sweetness. Eaters gain lifespan matching heaven's duration, its stalks pure white.

The Raw Gold Mushroom flourishes on southern famous mountains, with white caps over red gills and crimson stalks. During spring and summer...

The Supreme Numinous Treasure Compendium of Mushrooms (Taishang Lingbao Zhicao Pin) documents various miraculous mushrooms (zhi) with detailed descriptions of their forms, habitats, and effects. These mushrooms typically grow on the shaded or sunlit slopes of sacred mountains, each possessing distinct colors, shapes, and specific harvesting requirements:

The Turtle Majesty Mushroom (Guiwei Zhi) grows in the deep pools of Mount Changshan, appearing bluish-black with tortoise-shell patterns and black stems. Its taste is sour and bitter. Consuming it enables one to become an immortal (xian) living ten thousand years.

The Dragon Majesty Mushroom (Longwei Zhi) is found on the northern side of Mount Tai, with green stems, purple caps, and white undersides, its veins resembling dragons and snakes. Its flavor is sweet and sour. If harvested and consumed in spring, it grants a lifespan of 160,000 years and immortality.

The Bird Majesty Mushroom (Niaowei Zhi) grows on the northern slopes of the southern sacred mountains, with red caps, black stems, and a sour taste. Eating it makes the body light and ageless, bestowing a lifespan of ten thousand years.

The Fire Essence Mushroom (Huojing Zhi) is located on the northern side of Mount Huo, with red caps, yellow undersides, and yellow stems. Red cloud-like patterns resembling birds appear on its surface. If gathered on the bingwu day of the fifth lunar month, it leads to immortality after 9,000 years.

The Fire Tin Mushroom (Huoxi Zhi) grows beside large trees on the southern slopes of sacred mountains, fiery red in color. Harvested in summer, it prolongs life and leads to immortality.

The Master Chisongzi Mushroom (Chisongzi Zhi) thrives near thousand-year-old pine trees, shaped like a wooden figure. After being dried in shade for a hundred days, consuming it grants longevity equal to heaven and earth.

The Wood Essence Mushroom (Mujing Zhi) is found in sacred mountains, resembling a spinning wheel in winter, white in color with a bitter-sweet taste. Eating it makes the body light and leads to immortality.

The Wood Spirit Mushroom (Mushen Zhi) grows on Mount Tai (the Eastern Sacred Peak), with green caps, red undersides, and red stems. If harvested on a ren day, it grants a lifespan of ten million years.

The Heaven’s Eye Mushroom (Tianmu Zhi) is found on the southern slopes of sacred mountains, with green stems branching into two. It must be harvested with a bamboo knife and dried in shade for a hundred days. Consuming it grants a lifespan of fifty thousand years.

These mushrooms must be gathered at specific times (e.g., spring, summer, or the bingwu day of the fifth month) and often require shade-drying before consumption. Daoism holds that ingesting these mushrooms can bestow extraordinary effects, from longevity to full immortality, reflecting the tradition’s belief in "nourishing transcendence through ingestion" (fushi chengxian). Each mushroom corresponds to different tiers of immortal lifespan—ranging from ten thousand to 160,000 years—illustrating Daoist cosmological imagination regarding the stages of eternal life.

The Celestial Heart Mushroom (Tianxin Zhi) grows in the southern crevices of sacred mountains, with a cyan canopy and crimson stem. Its taste is sour and astringent. It must be harvested with a bamboo knife, then shade-dried for a hundred days before consumption. A portion the size of a fingernail taken regularly enables immortality after three millennia. This fungus is often crowned with crimson clouds above and guarded by white goats below.

The White Splendor Mushroom (Baiying Zhi) thrives on Mount Tai's southern slopes, entirely cyan with five symmetrically arranged stems and a sweet flavor. Prolonged ingestion grants longevity of ten thousand years and immortality.

The Water Deity Mushroom (Shuishen Zhi) grows on Mount Heng with a black canopy and cyan stem, perpetually shaded by horse-shaped dark clouds. Consuming it bestows six thousand years of life before ascension.

The Earth Mushroom (Tu Zhi) emerges in southern marshes of sacred mountains, bearing a white porcelain-bowl-shaped canopy with pungent, bitter notes. It renders one impervious to heat or cold, and summer-harvested specimens confer immediate immortality.

The Jade-Gazing Mushroom (Wangyu Zhi) dwells in northern mountain hollows, sporting yellow canopies and red stems with sweet taste. Two millennia of consumption leads to transcendence. Below it often grow three cyan-stemmed companions, while above stand two yellow-canopied, red-stemmed specimens.

The Wood-Grain Mushroom (Muwen Zhi) flourishes in sacred mountains' depths—cyan above, yellow below—with sweet-sour flavor. Spring-harvested, seven centuries of use prevents aging and grants immortality.

The Bronze Mushroom (Tong Zhi) appears in northern mountain springs, resembling inverted steamers with interwoven cyan, yellow, and red hues, tasting sharply pungent. One ge (≈100ml) dose confers agelessness.

The Celestial Crimson Mushroom (Tianjiang Zhi) grows in valley hills—black-canopied with crimson interior and red stem—sweet with mild spice. It nullifies seasonal extremes, granting immortality after six millennia.

The Poria Cocos Mushroom (Fuling Zhi) emerges beneath dodder vines on winter solstice, shaped like ox hooves, black and sweet. It grants thousand-league vision and ten-thousand-year longevity before ascension.

The Northern Mushroom (Beifang Zhi) sprouts on earthen hills, serpent-shaped with red exterior and white interior, sweet-sour tasting. It preserves eternal youth, culminating in immortality after twenty millennia.

The Arboreal Fungus (Mujun Zhi) grows on northern valley trees in three segmented tiers, cyan-colored with sweet-spicy flavor. Ten thousand years of consumption leads to transcendence.

The Supreme Numinous Treasure Compendium of Mushrooms scripture records the morphological characteristics and efficacies of various miraculous lingzhi mushrooms. Here's a modern interpretation:

These divine mushrooms all grow in famous mountains, each with unique forms and properties. For example:

• Wind Essence Zhi (Fengjing Zhi): Blue canopy with three conjoined stems, sweet flavor. Collected with bronze knives, consuming it grants immortality for ten thousand years.
• Numinous Essence Zhi (Lingjing Zhi): Grows on northern mountain slopes with red double-layered canopy and purple stem. Ingesting it confers twenty thousand years of immortality, protected by crimson-blue cloud qi above.
• Bird-Patterned Zhi (Niaowen Zhi): White canopy with black stem bearing internal patterns, measuring six chi long and four cun thick. Its sweet taste grants forty thousand years of immortality when consumed.

Each variety requires specific harvesting methods:

• Jade Fungus Zhi (Yujun Zhi), resembling white jade, must be gathered during midsummer, shade-dried for a hundred days before consumption to achieve one hundred thousand years of immortality.
• Daylight Essence Zhi (Zhoujing Zhi) grows in autumn with two conjoined red stems. Collected with wooden knives, shade-dried for a hundred days, consuming one small bowl extends life by thirty thousand years.
• Night Essence Zhi (Yejing Zhi) thrives in shaded areas with blue canopy and stem, sour flavor, and upturned cap. Drinking its morning dew also confers thirty thousand years of longevity.

Notable rare varieties include:

• White Jade Zhi (Baiyu Zhi) from Mount Tai valleys has blue leaves with red edges in three layers per side and red stems. Consumption grants eighty thousand years of life.
• Dawn Essence Zhi (Chaojing Zhi) grows in summer as white square stone-like caps without stems, bitter taste. Collected with bronze knives and shade-dried, it bestows ten thousand years of immortality with two guardians present.
• Spring Essence Zhi (Chunjing Zhi) exhibits blue-red coloration with horned, upturned canopies bearing two hanging fruits. Its bitter-tasting harvest requires no quantity restrictions, granting thirty thousand years under five-colored clouds.

Two particularly special varieties:

• Earth Fungus Zhi (Tujun Zhi) shifts through five colors (yellow, blue, red, white, black) with three branching seed pods. Consumption prolongs life into immortality.
• Wood Fungus Yellow Zhi (Mujun Huangzhi) grows within large rocks, featuring three blue leaves (two cun wide, one chi long) with square stone-like base. Thriving year-round with sweet flavor, it prevents aging and confers immortality.

These records reflect the Daoist cultivation concept of "attaining immortality through ingestibles" (fushi chengxian), viewing specific lingzhi as embodiments of heaven-earth essence. Each mushroom's form, color, and growing season were believed intrinsically connected to its efficacy, with precise harvesting and preparation methods essential for activating their transcendent properties.

This scripture records twelve miraculous lingzhi mushrooms (sacred fungi believed to possess transcendent power in Daoism), detailing their habitats, morphological characteristics, and medicinal properties:

1. Summer Essence Lingzhi (Xiajing Zhi): Grows on famous mountains with red caps bearing two pearl-like fruiting bodies. When collected with bamboo knives and shade-dried for a hundred days, it tastes sweet. Consuming it grants immortality for forty thousand years.

2. Autumn Essence Lingzhi (Qiujing Zhi): Thrives in low-lying areas surrounded by fragrant herbs. Its yellow caps with crimson undersides feature three curved drooping branches on blue stems. Consumption extends life for ten thousand years.

3. White Cloud Lingzhi (Baiyun Zhi): Displays five-colored circular forms resembling drums, crowned with six red fruiting bodies. The red stems taste sour - ingesting it for ten thousand years leads to transcendence.

4. Left Divine Lingzhi (Zuoshen Zhi): Black upturned caps face heaven with white stems. Guarded by female deities, it requires drinking dew from its stems for two thousand years to mature fully.

5. Right Divine Lingzhi (Youshen Zhi): Blue-capped with white stems and three branches. Collected with bone knives and shade-dried, consuming a fingernail-sized portion grants ten thousand years of life, guarded by white deer.

6. Wood Prosperity Lingzhi (Mulü Zhi): Blue with intricate patterns growing on renowned mountains. Its sweet-tasting crown bears five green stems - consumption bestows ten thousand years of longevity.

7. Stone Fungus Lingzhi (Shijun Zhi): Emits nocturnal luminescence. The red central portion harvested at summer solstice confers immortality. White stems terminate in lotus-like formations.

8. Red Jade Tablet Lingzhi (Chigui Zhi): White veined caps with spicy-tasting blue stems ensure perpetual youth. Two hundred deities accompany those who attain immortality through its use.

9. Iron Essence Lingzhi (Tiejing Zhi): Autumn-growing with purple caps and yellow interiors. Five sweet-tasting branches require bronze knives for harvesting - consuming lentil-sized portions grants three thousand years of life, crowned with five-colored cloud qi.

10. Branch Essence Lingzhi (Kejing Zhi): Grows on shaded slopes of famous mountains with white caps and stems. Wooden knife-harvested and shade-dried, pea-sized portions confer ten thousand years of life - the yellow central portion being edible.

11. Earth Fungus Lingzhi (Tujun Zhi): Blue-capped with white stems - consumption leads to ten thousand years of transcendence.

12. Stone Lingzhi (Shi Zhi): Entirely white-capped and stemmed - ingesting it bestows sixty thousand years of life.

(Note: These records reflect the Daoist cultivation concept of "attaining immortality through ingestible substances." Ancient practitioners believed specific lingzhi mushrooms concentrated celestial and terrestrial essences, and that proper harvesting and consumption methods could bestow extraordinary powers. Terms like "ten thousand years" and "attaining immortality" represent symbolic expressions of longevity states in Daoist practice.)

The Supreme Numinous Treasure Compendium of Divine Mushrooms records various miraculous immortal mushrooms (sacred lingzhi-type plants believed by Daoists to possess extraordinary properties). Here are descriptions of several varieties:

Stone Essence Mushroom (Shijing Zhi): Grows in autumn with a red cap and white underside, red stalk, and sour taste. Consuming it enables one to become an immortal for ten thousand years. It is guarded by red divine birds above.

River-Sealing Mushroom (Hebi Zhi): Grows in autumn with yellow coloration and three clustered stems. Drinking the dew from its surface for nine thousand years confers immortality. Its distinctive feature is an upward-curling cap.

Water Fungus Mushroom (Shuijun Zhi): Has a green cap with white underside and green stalk. Daily consumption of 20 milliliters cures illnesses, prolongs life, and leads to immortality after ten thousand years.

Beast Fungus Mushroom (Shoujun Zhi): Grows beneath pine and cypress trees on famous mountains, with white cap and stalk. Harvested on the summer solstice, consuming 20 milliliters daily for three years enables miraculous transformation into an immortal.

Sea-Gate Mushroom (Haique Zhi): Grows on sandy rocks in autumn with four-layered green cap, red stalk, and twin stems. Drinking its dew for ten thousand years confers immortality, with five-colored clouds hovering above.

Cloud-Jade Mushroom (Yunyao Zhi): Autumn growth with green stalk and leaves, guarded by white divine birds above. Drinking its dew for one thousand years grants immortality.

Green Fungus Mushroom (Qingjun Zhi): Double-layered green cap with white interior and stalk, sweet-sour taste. Daily consumption of 20 milliliters leads to immortality after one thousand years.

Cloud Mushroom (Yun Zhi): Green cap with yellow stalk, honey-like flavor. Consumption confers immortality after one thousand years, with five-colored clouds above.

Kunlun Mushroom (Kunlun Zhi): Autumn growth with double-layered yellow cap, yellow stalk, and sweet taste. Drinking its dew for three thousand years grants immortality.

Human Essence Mushroom (Renjing Zhi): Grows atop famous mountains - green cap, white underside, red stalk, triple stems, sweet taste. Drinking its dew for ten thousand years confers immortality.

Mountain Hero Mushroom (Shanying Zhi): Grows in shaded, damp cliffs of famous mountains, red-colored with four-tiered pagoda shape. Consumption leads to immortality after one thousand years.

Purple Mushroom (Zi Zhi): Resembles a human head with pungent taste. Eating it brings mental clarity, deathlessness, and bodily lightness.

Winter-Resembling Mushroom (Dongru Zhi): Grows south of Mount Tai in autumn with three-layered yellow cap, yellow stalk, and interconnected roots.

(Note: These descriptions reflect Daoist imagination regarding elixirs of immortality, with consumption methods and effects imbued with profound religious mysticism)

Here are records of various divine Lingzhi mushrooms, each with unique forms, effects, and methods of consumption:

Red Essence Lingzhi (Chijingzhi):

Grows in summer with a yellow cap, blue stem, white gills, and nine-layered folds. Consuming it for five thousand years enables immortality. Often grows alongside five-colored companion herbs.

Purple Stone Lingzhi (Zishizhi):

Bitter in taste with a red cap, yellow gills, and red stem. Eating it grants longevity without aging.

Purple Canopy Lingzhi (Zigaizhi):

Three stems share one root base—round below and square above. Its purple cap spans two chi (about 60cm) with a sweet taste. Three thousand years of consumption leads to immortality.

Another Red Essence Lingzhi:

Red and flame-shaped with sweet flavor. Must be harvested with an iron knife, shade-dried for a hundred days before consumption. Two thousand years of use confers immortality. Typically guarded by two torch-shaped companion plants.

Mountain-Welcoming Linked Lingzhi:

Enables traveling a thousand li (500km) daily. Eight thousand years of consumption brings immortality. Has three branches—the central one capped with purple, while the lower two remain capless.

Purple Mountain Lingzhi (Zishanzhi):

Crimson-purple with four-layered folds and red cap. Three thousand years of consumption leads to immortality.

Purple Lingzhi (Zizhi):

White cap, yellow gills, and moon-white stem. Eating it makes one's body radiate light and attain immortality.

Wood Lingzhi (Muzhi) & Water Lingzhi (Shuizhi):

One thousand years of consumption confers immortality. Water Lingzhi resembles the Chinese character "王" (king).

Twin Purple Lingzhi (Chongzizhi):

Yellow cap with red stems—two conjoined branches. Consumption leads to immortality.

Six-Pillar Purple Lingzhi (Liuzhuzizhi):

Red cap and stem with yellow gills. The top has a cap while the lower three layers remain capless. Consumption grants immortality.

Purple Branch Lingzhi (Zikezhi):

Red with white gills, snake-shaped and bitter. Expels pathogenic cold/heat. Daily consumption of one ge (≈200ml) leads to immortality—best harvested in autumn.

Another Purple Lingzhi:

Sweet-tasting with white cap and three stems—yellow above and red below. Strengthens the body and transforms intestines into sinews. Single-layered cap at the top.

Twin Purple Lingzhi:

Similar in form to the above, with bittersweet taste. White cap appears raised—consumption confers immortality.

[Supplementary Notes]

1. "Attains immortality" (仙矣) refers to achieving Daoist transcendence through consumption

2. Time units like "thousand years" indicate required cultivation periods after ingestion

3. Harvesting methods (e.g., iron knife collection, shade-drying) and dosages (e.g., one ge) constitute essential cultivation techniques

The Supreme Numinous Treasure Mushroom Treatise scripture meticulously documents various types of lingzhi mushrooms (considered sacred herbs with miraculous properties in Daoism). Here's a modern interpretation:

1. Yellow Lingzhi: Features yellow stems with red roots, branching into three at the top with umbrella-like caps, while the lower two branches remain uncapped.

2. Purple Lingzhi: Violet mushrooms with red caps, white interiors, and red stems, possessing a sweet taste. Consuming them extends lifespan and ultimately leads to immortality.

3. Ke Lingzhi: Red exterior with white interior and sweet flavor. Winter consumption prevents aging and leads to immortality; shaped like a snake's tail.

4. Fire Lingzhi: Red caps with white interiors, black stems, and bitter taste. Collected and consumed in winter/summer for immortality. Distinctive features include five-colored cloud qi enveloping the apex and two interwoven branches.

5. Water Lingzhi: Red caps with white interiors and white stems that branch upward through the cap. Consumption extends life into immortality.

6. Palace Lingzhi: Consumption prevents aging and leads to immortality. Characterized by eleven segments, vermilion caps and red stems.

7. Tower Lingzhi: Collected and consumed in summer/autumn, measuring 1.7 cun (Daoist measurement equating to heaven-earth harmony). Purple caps and stems with seven segments, the central branch being longest, featuring two pearl-like circular caps.

8. Noble's Lingzhi: Consumption enables immortality and aerial flight. Blue-green caps with red stems in eleven segments (six upper, two middle, three lower).

9. Jade Essence Lingzhi: Grows in oceans with sweet taste. Two thousand years of consumption leads to immortality; vermilion caps with jade-white stems.

10. Marquis' Lingzhi: Round top and square base. Collected in May for consumption granting ten thousand years of life. Barrel-shaped and vermilion-colored.

11. Udumbara Lingzhi: Six years of consumption leads to immortality, with red clouds crowning its apex. Entirely vermilion in cap, stem and leaves, featuring six leaves.

12. Deathless Lingzhi: Consumption grants ten thousand years of life, crowned with red clouds. Purple caps and stems branch four ways without caps.

13. Vermilion Lingzhi: Entirely vermilion in cap and stem. Consumption grants thousand-year lifespan and immortality.

14. Celestial Might Lingzhi: Blue-green, collectible year-round. Consumption grants millions of years of life, enveloped in crimson cloud qi with blue-green caps and stems.

15. Spirit-Warding Lingzhi: In Daoist cultivation, these mushrooms are revered as "elixir herbs." Practitioners believe consuming them bestows miraculous effects including longevity, agelessness, and ascension to immortality. Each variety has specific collection times, consumption methods, and corresponding effects, reflecting the Daoist philosophy of "correspondence between heaven and humanity" in health cultivation.

The Supreme Numinous Treasure Treatise on Mushrooms of Immortality (Taishang Lingbao Zhicao Pin) meticulously documents the forms, efficacies, and methods of consuming various divine mushrooms (zhi). These legendary herbs of immortality can bestow transcendence or prolong life:

1. Bijing Zhi (Warding Essence Mushroom): Grows in the sea, blue-green in color with humanoid shape. Consuming it grants a thousand-year lifespan.

2. Tianhan Zhi (Celestial Cold Mushroom): Yellow, humanoid-shaped. Ingestion leads to immortality with a millennium-long celestial existence.

3. Chiying Zhi (Vermilion Bloom Mushroom): Pungent in flavor, harvestable year-round. Grants three thousand years of life. Distinctive for its crossed stems—one uncovered, the other with red tips resembling unopened blossoms.

4. Tianzhi (Celestial Mushroom): Collectible in all seasons. After shade-drying for a hundred days, consuming a fingernail-sized portion ("square inch seven") induces transcendence. Recognizable by its red cap and purple stem.

5. Tianlu Zhi (Celestial Land Mushroom): Must be harvested with bronze knives. Bestows three thousand years of immortal life. Features twin stems with red tips resembling lotus buds.

6. Tianque Zhi (Celestial Gate Mushroom): Consumption confers ten thousand years of immortality. Twin-stemmed with red caps and white interiors.

7. Dijing Zhi (Earth Essence Mushroom): Guarded by two sheep. Drinking its dew grants six thousand years of transcendence. Triple-stemmed with red caps and blue-green stems.

8. Rijing Zhi (Solar Essence Mushroom): Sweet-flavored, harvested with bamboo knives. After hundred-day shade-drying, a fingernail-sized portion grants five millennia of immortal life. Red-colored with three branches sharing one uncovered main stem.

9. Yuejing Zhi (Lunar Essence Mushroom): Gathered year-round with bamboo knives. A bean-sized dose confers five thousand years of transcendence. Guarded by a humanoid figure, featuring yellow caps and stems.

10. Sishi Jingzhi (Four Seasons Essence Mushroom): Its dew extends life by twenty thousand years. Protected by two azure dragons. Crimson-colored with five-colored cloud coverings and double-layered red caps on red stems.

11. Heijing Zhi (Black Essence Mushroom): Sour-sweet flavor, collected with bone knives. Two thousand years of immortality after shade-drying for a hundred days. Guarded below by sheep, featuring purple inverted caps and stems with two leaves.

12. Mujing Zhi (Wood Essence Mushroom): Sweet-tasting, granting two millennia of transcendence post shade-drying. Protected by three horses above, harvested with bone knives. Purple caps curl upward distinctively.

13. Shuijing Zhi (Water Essence Mushroom): Bitter flavor, summer-harvested. A fingernail-sized portion bestows five thousand years of immortality. Blue-green capped with four stems protruding uncovered above white stalks.

14. Jinjing Zhi (Metal Essence Mushroom): Though the text is incomplete, contextual analysis suggests properties akin to other mushrooms—distinct morphology with transcendence-granting effects.

These divine fungi require specific harvesting tools (bronze knives, bamboo knives, bone knives) and typically undergo shade-drying. Dosages usually involve "square inch seven" (fingernail-sized) or "bean-sized" portions. Most are guarded by mythical creatures (sheep, azure dragons, horses), with consumption methods including direct ingestion or dew-drinking. Their colors, forms, and flavors vary significantly, correlating with immortality durations ranging from one to twenty thousand years.

The Supreme Numinous Treasure Treatise on Mushrooms records several miraculous lingzhi (spirit mushrooms) and their effects:

The Golden Essence Mushroom (Jinjing Zhi) has a sweet taste and must be harvested with a wooden knife. Consuming it directly can extend life to one thousand years, while eating it after being shade-dried for a hundred days yields even better results. This mushroom has five segments and resembles a flame in shape, being entirely vermilion in color. Its cap resembles a crescent moon, while its stem is cyan.

The Water Mushroom (Shui Zhi) grows by water's edge, has a bitter taste, and is best collected in summer. Shaped like a fingernail, consuming it enables one to live for one hundred thousand years and attain immortality (xian). Its cap is purple with three horn-like projections, and its cyan stem grows directly without a cap.

The Rain Essence Mushroom (Yujing Zhi) grows in summer with a sweet flavor and no consumption limit. Eating it allows one to live six thousand years and achieve immortality. The cap is bluish-purple, with the stem dividing into four branches.

The Water Essence Mushroom (Shuijing Zhi) grows by mountain streams, appearing bluish-black in color. Four stems grow side by side with upward-curling caps, having a slightly bitter taste. Drinking the dew collected from it enables one to live one hundred thousand years and attain immortality.

The Cloud Essence Mushroom (Yunjing Zhi) grows on Mount Hua with a sour taste and must be harvested with a bamboo knife, with no consumption limit. Eating it allows one to live nine thousand years and achieve immortality. The cap is purple while the stem is white.

The Tiger Essence Mushroom (Hujing Zhi) grows in shaded areas of Mount Hua, yellow like tiger skin with a sweet taste. Consuming it prevents aging, sharpens hearing and vision, and ultimately leads to immortality. The stem is vermilion in color.

(Note: The term "immortality" (xian) refers to the Daoist cultivation state of achieving eternal life, while "zhi" denotes the miraculous lingzhi mushrooms considered potent medicinal substances in Daoism.)