Wood Ear Mushroom
Overview
Wood ear is the dark, ear-shaped fungus that grows on dead wood and is still sold dried. The entry is as much a lesson in mushroom safety as in medicine: the text separates wood-growing fungi from ground-growing ones, notes that those from remote, damp places in the mountains are often poisonous and can kill, and even gives a simple test — slice it with ginger or drop rice grains in; if they turn black, it is toxic. It also records that mushrooms of early spring are harmless but those of summer and autumn can be toxic.
In the Donguibogam
寶鑑
Traditional uses recorded in the Donguibogam
- Benefits the five viscera
- Cools the blood
- Stops intestinal bleeding
- Boosts qi
Traditional applications recorded in the classical text
- Everyday cooked dishes
- Bloody stool from heat (classical use)
- Learning to tell safe from toxic mushrooms
Traditional preparation
Soaked and cooked as a food. Related fungi — mulberry ear, Sophora ear, shiitake (蘑菰), and stone ear — are recorded as separate sub-entries, each with its own nature.
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
Frequently asked questions
How did the Donguibogam suggest testing for a toxic mushroom?
It suggests slicing the mushroom with ginger or dropping rice grains in with it: if they turn black, it is toxic; if not, it is harmless. This is a classical folk test recorded in the text, not a safe method for foraging today.
Are all mushrooms in the entry safe?
No. The text separates the safe wood-ear from sub-entries such as mulberry ear (slightly toxic) and field mushrooms (often toxic, not to be eaten lightly).
What are the five "wood ears"?
The text names five woods whose fungi it treats as edible when soft: elm, willow, mulberry, Sophora and paper mulberry.
Sources
- 『동의보감』 탕액편, 허준, 1613 (원문) — 한문 원문
- 한의학고전DB (mediclassics.kr) — 원문 및 국역 자료 참조