靈芝

See also: 霊芝 and 灵芝

Chinese
 
alert; departed soul; efficacious
alert; departed soul; efficacious; quick; effective; intelligence
 Zoysia pungens
trad. (靈芝) 靈 芝
simp. (灵芝) 灵 芝

Etymology

According to Wasson (1968),[1] this compound noun is coined by Ban Gu (班固) (32 - 92 CE) in the poem 《郊祀靈芝歌》 ("Ode to the Numinous Mushroom for the Suburban Sacrifice"):

因露寢兮產靈芝。象三德兮瑞應圖。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
因露寝兮产灵芝。象三德兮瑞应图。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: c. 1st century CE, Ban Gu (班固), 《郊祀靈芝歌》 ("Ode to the Numinous Mushroom for the Suburban Sacrifice"); translation based on Wasson (1968)'s version
Yīn lùqǐn xī chǎn língzhī. Xiàng sāndé xī ruì yìngtú. [Pinyin]
The Numinous Mushroom grows with the settling dews, the sign of three virtues, happy omen's picture fulfilled.

Ban Gu's coining is inspired by the description of a Ganoderma mushroom (芝) as "numinous" (靈) in a poem composed in 109 BCE by Emperor Wu of Han (漢武帝 (Hàn Wǔ Dì)) and preserved in the Book of Han, "chapter 22" (translation based on Wasson, 1968):[1]

玄氣之精，回復此都，蔓蔓日茂，芝成靈華。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
玄气之精，回复此都，蔓蔓日茂，芝成灵华。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Book of Han, circa 1st century CE
Xuánqì zhī jīng, huífù cǐ dōu, mànmàn rì mào, zhī chéng líng huá. [Pinyin]
The essence of the Mysterious Breath, there it is, returned again to this residence, day after day this superb growth, this mushroom which unfolds its most numinous beauties.

Pronunciation

Noun

靈芝

  1. lingzhi (mushroom used in traditional Asian medicine, namely, Ganoderma lucidum, Ganoderma tsugae, or others in the genus Ganoderma)

Synonyms

Descendants
Sino-Xenic (靈芝):
  • → Japanese: 霊芝(れいし) (reishi)
  • → Korean: 영지(靈芝) (yeongji)
  • → Vietnamese: linh chi (靈芝)

Others:

References
  1. R. Gordon Wasson (1968) Soma: Divine Mushroom of Immortality, pages 86, 89
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