Ancient people believed the zhi herb was a divine medicine that could grant immortality.
Tips
usage
芝 alone appears mainly in classical and compound contexts: 灵芝 (lingzhi / reishi mushroom), 芝麻 (sesame). In modern Chinese it is rarely used alone. It also appears in given names (e.g. 芝加哥 = Chicago, where 芝 is phonetic).
culture
灵芝 (the lingzhi mushroom) has been revered in Chinese culture for over two millennia as the "herb of immortality" and appears frequently in traditional art, medicine, and mythology.
