History
Around 2730 BC, a Chinese emperor, Shen Nong, personally tasted and catalogued over 365 plants to create the first book of Traditional Chinese Medicine. For each plant, he evaluated them on the range of illnesses they treated, how effective they were, and the number of side effects they had. One plant in particular —the red reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum)— was classified as the best of the "Superior" plants.
Reishi was depicted in paintings, embroideries, buildings, sculptures, and carvings of the gods and immortals. It was revered as the "herb of longevity" for its ability to improve health conditions without side effects. Now, as modern medicine struggles to mimic the healing powers of natural substances, more and more people are discovering the ancient secrets of red reishi.