Home › Herbs › Pine Mushroom (Songi)

Pine Mushroom (Songi)

Songi (松耳) is a mushroom recorded in the Donguibogam's vegetable volume as neutral in nature, sweet in taste and non-toxic. The text praises its flavor and fragrance, notes its scent of pine, and ranks it first among the wood mushrooms (木茸), but it records no effect and no use. Caution: wild mushrooms can be confused with poisonous ones, so do not eat them without expert identification.

송이버섯 (松耳) · Tricholoma matsutake (S.Ito & S.Imai) Singer

Food mushroom Neutral Sweet Not specified in the source text

NatureNeutral

TasteSweet

MeridiansNot specified in the source text

Part usedFruiting body (mushroom)

FamilyTricholomataceae

CategoryFood mushroom

Overview

Songi is the prized mushroom of old pine forests. The Donguibogam records it in the vegetable volume as non-toxic, neutral and sweet, praises its flavor and fragrance, and ranks it first among the "wood mushrooms" (木茸). The entry is short: it records nature, taste, scent and where it grows, but no medical effect and no way of using it. The text gives no scientific name; today the name is understood as the matsutake mushroom, which is the identification used here by convention.

In the Donguibogam

東醫
寶鑑

性平, 味甘, 無毒. 味甚香美, 有松氣. 生山中古松樹下, 假松氣而生, 木茸中第一也.

Source: Donguibogam, Tangaek-pyeon (Herbology volume)

TranslationIts nature is neutral, its taste sweet, and it is non-toxic. Its flavor is very fragrant and fine, and it has a scent of pine. It grows in the mountains beneath old pine trees, borrowing the pine's qi to grow, and is the first among the wood mushrooms (木茸).

Traditional uses recorded in the Donguibogam

Flavor and fragrance prized in the text (味甚香美)
Carries a scent of pine (有松氣)
Ranked first among wood mushrooms (木茸中第一)
No medical effect is recorded in the original

Traditional applications recorded in the classical text

Recorded as a food mushroom valued for flavor and fragrance
The original gives no preparation or use

Traditional preparation

The original does not record how to prepare or use it; it only describes the mushroom's flavor, scent and habitat. DonguiHub does not give doses or recipes.

This describes traditional preparation recorded in the classics, not a recommendation for use today. DonguiHub does not provide dosage guidance — consult a qualified professional before using any herb.

Cautions

Caution: The original records songi as non-toxic, but the same volume warns bluntly that wild mushrooms from remote damp mountain places are often poisonous and can kill. Wild mushrooms can be confused with toxic species, so do not gather or eat them without identification by an expert. If you have allergies or a medical condition, consult a professional.

Frequently asked questions

How does the Donguibogam rank songi?

It calls songi the first among the "wood mushrooms" (木茸), praising its very fragrant, fine flavor and its scent of pine.

Where does the text say songi grows?

In the mountains beneath old pine trees, borrowing the pine's qi to grow.

Does the original record a medicinal effect of songi?

No. It records nature, taste, scent and habitat only, and says nothing about effects or use.