Shaped like an umbrella, the ling chih, according to Lin, is a wild fungus growing on other plants or on decaying matter such as a rotten wood.
經過他細心處理後，成為賞玩價值極高的藝術珍品。林新課說，靈芝多分佈於陰涼山林，依附著櫧、櫟、櫸、楓、桐、梅等樹的殘幹或枯木，攝取養分成長。