The history of Rou Lingzhi stretches back over 4,000 years to the ancient Chinese civilization. References to “Zhi” appeared as early as the Shang Dynasty oracle bones and Zhou Dynasty bronze inscriptions, where it was regarded as a manifestation of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
After Qin Shi Huang unified China, he dispatched the alchemist Xu Fu with thousands of young men and women to cross the sea in search of the elixir of immortality — the “Zhi herb,” an ancient name for Rou Lingzhi. This legendary quest remains one of the most famous stories in Chinese culture.
Throughout the long course of history, emperors, generals, scholars, and poets alike revered Rou Lingzhi. From the First Emperor of Qin to the great rulers of the Han, Tang, and Song dynasties, it was always treasured as an imperial tribute and a rare collectible.