Three Cordyceps

Three Wormwood Plants tells the story of Sangji and his family, along with the whole village, as they toil in the mountains gathering caterpillar fungus during the harvest season. The novel follows two threads. One is Sangji's coming-of-age story. A good student in both conduct and academics, Sangji skips school to go home and gather fungus to help support his family, carrying a simple, sincere love of life. The other is the fungus's journey. Its growth, harvesting, purchase, gifting, consumption, or storage reveals the many sides of everyday life.