Believe it or not, this is not an artwork crafted by a human artist but a plant created by nature.
Ganoderma, a genus of polypore mushrooms that grow on wood, is traditionally regarded in China as having a magic effect on youthful looking and longevity.
In Chinese folk tales, some certain types of Ganoderma are also described as possessing a power to bring the dead back to life. And this certain type of Ganoderma may just look like the one in the photo, which was dug out by a local peasant from a mountain forest in Hunan province.
Human-shaped Ganoderma is also known as Flesh Ganoderma and is said to be on the process of upgrading its form of existence from a mortal plant to an immortal intelligence being via a human transitory appearance.
As thus Flesh Ganoderma are believed to have contained a highly condensed energy and info for longevity and even immortality, therefore they are hotly sought by people like the First Emperor Qin more than two thousand years ago.
According to Chinese medicine, some certain types of Ganoderma do have a good effect on helping to restore vitality, calm nerves, relieve coughs, sooth asthma and improve sleep.