Hallucinogenic Mushrooms Can Bring About Visions of the ‘Little People’of Yunnan
Certain mushrooms sold by street vendors in China’s southern province of Yunnan come with a friendly warning: cook them thoroughly, or “you will see the xiao ren ren,” the “little people”, a lilliputian invasion caused by a naturally-occurring hallucinogen neutralized by the heat provided from cooking the fungus. Curiously, the appearance of these diminutive creatures is consistent amongst the individuals that are affected, even in cultures from regions thousands of miles away.
If consumed undercooked, jian shou qing mushrooms can bring about a type of hallucination that referred to as xiao ren ren, a phrase meaning “little men” or “little people” (the double-“ren”, meaning man or person, is a plural form used to emphasize that a large number of these imps appear). In a manner similar to the reported commonality amongst the beings encountered through the use of other hallucinogens, reports of these small people are common amongst individuals affected by the mushroom, and can also be accompanied by apparitions of xiao dongwu (little animals).
Although these bolete (pronounced bow-LEET) mushrooms have long been adding a savory flavor to Yunnan’s culinary recipes, the species responsible for the appearance of the xiao ren ren wasn’t identified until 2015, when mycologists sequenced the genome of mushrooms bought from an open-air street market. They found that jian shou qing was an uncatalogued species closely related to the commonly-found porcini mushroom (Boletus edulis), and designated it Lanmaoa asiatica.
Curiously, L. asiatica itself isn’t exclusively found in Yunnan: indigenous peoples in the Philippines’ Northern Cordillera call the mushroom “sedesdem”, which can be used to evoke an appearance by the diminutive “Ansisit”; in Papua New Guinea eating “nonda” will have a similar effect.
“It sounded so bizarre that there could be a mushroom out there causing fairytale-like visions reported across cultures and time,” according to Colin Domnauer, a biologist with the University of Utah and the Natural History Museum of Utah. “I was perplexed and driven by curiosity to find out more.”
One example recounted in a 2008 paper titled “Xiao Ren Ren: The ‘Little People’ of Yunnan” came from an academic professor that had just finished a meal of stir-fried mushrooms at a restaurant when he began to experience hallucinogenic effects. Familiar with stories of the xiao ren ren, he assumed that the chef had accidentally undercooked the meal, but was disappointed that no little men appeared.
“But then, I don’t know why, I lifted the tablecloth just a little and peeked under—ohhhh—alot!” the anonymous professor explained. “Hundreds of xiao ren ren, marching like soldiers.” He found that the heads of the two-centimeter (4/5ths of an inch) entities “came off and stuck to the bottom of the cloth and the bodies kept marching in place.
“I did this many times, at two minute intervals and each time they were there, marching and grinning.”
Interestingly, despite warnings that the mushrooms should be cooked for at least 15 minutes, the residents of Yunnan “did not seem particularly afraid of meeting the little folk, and in fact, they seemed to be rather fond of them,” according to the paper, implying that their avoidance of the hallucinations may be due to practical reasons, considering the effects reportedly can last for days, rather than a taboo such as the one surrounding psychoactive substances in Western culture.
“That the same peculiar hallucinations are independently reported across such distant cultures indicates that these bizarre psychological effects are not cultural fabrications or coincidences, but manifestations of a shared underlying chemical and neurological basis,” Domnauer remarked in a 2025 article that appeared on the Natural History Museum of Utah’s website.
However, after conducting chemical and genomic analyses on L. asiatica samples, Domnauer found “no traces of any known psychoactive compounds, suggesting that something entirely new is waiting to be discovered,” meaning that whatever causes the peculiar visions is not related to the psychoactive compound muscimol found in Amanita mushrooms, or the psilocybin carried by more than 200 species of mushroom.
“In other words, Lanmaoa asiatica appears to harbor a chemical compound capable of reliably evoking this unusual experience of lilliputian hallucinations,” Domnauer added. “The discovery of that chemical may, in fact, hold the key to understanding one of the most mysterious dimensions of the human psyche.”
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3 Comments
https://unknowncountry.com/headline-news/hallucinogenic-mushrooms-can-bring-about-visions-of-the-little-peopleof-yunnan/
Interesting parallel to the “machine elves” and mantis entities consistently encountered during DMT-fueled experiences.
Are “aliens” from outer space, or inner space?
Or, in some way we cannot comprehend, from both (in that the inner/outer dichotomy actually isn’t at all what we think it is)?
“Or, in some way we cannot comprehend, from both (in that the inner/outer dichotomy actually isn’t at all what we think it is)?”
I’ve wondered this myself over the last few years.
Well this takes me back! This must have been 25 years ago and it’s the only time I ever tried magic mushrooms but some friends visited me for the weekend and one of them bought a big bag of magic mushrooms. He boiled them up and made a big pot of tea which of course we all consumed. It didn’t taste bad to be honest but then again Earl Grey tea added to it as well gave it a nice flavour and aroma.
Well, it took about half an hour to kick in and then suddenly we all noticed the shift in the room. It was by far the most serenely mystical experience of my life up to that point. There was some giggling and laughter but that changed into limitless Vision and I could hear monks chanting all around me. I can’t say I saw any little people or apparitions but there was clearly increased dimensionality to the experience.
I would love to visit a spiritual Retreat one day and try some again but unfortunately that’s not legal here in the UK. I wish it was because I think it would be valuable. I’m quick to say that I do not promote casual or recreational use of such mushrooms because everyone is different and I count myself as very lucky that I had that pleasant and very inspiring experience.
No, I never tried them again but I’ve always held the experience with high regard and count myself blessed to have had it.