What is Reishi?

Reishi is a basidiomycete, lamellaless fungus belonging to the family of polyporaceae. It grows naturally in densely wooded mountains of high humidity and dim lighting. Since it flourishes mainly on the dried trunks of dead plum, guercus serrata or pasonia trees. it is very rarely found. Out of every 10 thousand of such aged trees, perhaps 2 or 3 will have Reishi growth and therefore it is very scarce indeed. The spores of Reishi have such tough outer husks that germination is not easily possible and this phenomenon accounts for its rarity. It was said that when Reishi was discovered by any one in olden days, it would have been kept as a secret even from his kith and kin and besides there will be a great celebration for successful location of Reishi and safe return. The herballous history of Reishi had long been documented in the oldest Chinese Pharamacopocea written in about the first or second century B.C. It had been recorded in it that Reishi was having the most extensive and effective healing powers.

The late Hiroshi Hikino, recognized as the world's authority on the chemistry of Oriental medicinal plants, called Reishi one of the most important elixirs in the Orient. Relatively rare and undiscovered in the West, Reishi and other mushrooms have been revered as herbal medicines for thousand of years in Japan and China. Emperors of the great Chinese dynasties and Japanese royalty drank teas and concoctions of the mushroom for vitality and long life and with a constant searchs for the elixir of eternal youth, Reishi was believed to be having such ingredients.