Da Qin Jiao (Goose Leg) (Cylindrical thick roots, yellowish-brown, rhizomes fused, spirally twisted longitudinal ring patterns, hard, brittle and easily broken)

Yun Qin Jiao

Jin Qin Jiao (Ma Hua Jiao – Braided Qin Jiao)

Shan Qin Jiao (Xiao Qin Jiao – Small Qin Jiao)

Da Qin Jiao Slices (Yellow cortex, woody heartwood)

Yun Qin Jiao Slices

Yun Qin Jiao Slices (Coin Eye)

Yun Qin Jiao Foot

【Naming】

Qin Jiao

 【Source】

Shen Nong’s Classic of Materia Medica, Middle Grade

 【Common Usage Level】

B

 【Botanical Origin】

Roots of Gentiana macrophylla Pallas, Gentiana straminea Maxim., Gentiana crassicaulis Duthie ex Burkill and Gentiana dahurica Fisch., all belonging to the Gentianaceae family.

 【Characteristics】

(1) Qin Jiao (Xi Qin Jiao): The root is slightly conical, thick at the top and thin at the bottom, twisted and not straight, 10-20cm long and 1-3cm in diameter. The surface is grayish-yellow or brownish-yellow. The upper root head is formed by a single or several fused rhizomes, which is more enlarged and yellow, with longitudinal twisted grooves. The top has residual stem bases and attached yellow fibrous residual leaves. The middle part mostly has spirally twisted wrinkles and fibrous root scars. The main root is thick, with few branches, and the lower part may have branches. The texture is loose and brittle, and easily broken. Also known as chicken leg Qin Jiao or radish Qin Jiao, the quality is better.
The prepared slices are slightly oval, the outer skin is grayish-yellow or brownish-yellow, the cut surface shows oiliness, the center has a yellow woody core, with a special odor, and tastes bitter and astringent.
(2) Ma Hua Jiao (Jin Qin Jiao): The root is cone-shaped, mostly enlarged by the aggregation of several small roots, 8-18cm long, diameter about 1-4cm. The whole is often gathered and staggered into a coin-shaped flower shape by several small roots. Most small roots are intertwined to form a “braided” or “pigtail” shape. The surface is brownish-brown, rough, with cracks in a mesh pattern. The body is light, the texture is loose and brittle, and it is easily broken. The fracture surface is yellowish-white and mostly decayed.
(3) Thick-stem Qin Jiao (Yun Qin Jiao): The root is thicker, mostly single, mostly unbranched, with few mutually twisted lines, straight and smooth, shaped like an oxtail, 12-25cm long, 1-3.5cm in diameter. The root head has light yellow petiole residues and hairs (leaf base vascular bundles), the surface is yellowish-brown or dark brown, with longitudinal twisted wrinkles, the flesh is thick and firm, the body is heavy, soft and moist, the fracture surface is yellowish-brown, and the taste is bitter and astringent.
(4) Small Qin Jiao (Shan Qin Jiao): The root is thin and small, slightly long spindle-shaped cylindrical, the roots are single or several fused together, often branched below the middle. Shaped like a dog’s tail, about 8-25cm long, 0.2-1.2cm in diameter, the branches are slender, the top often has hairy residual stems and long reed heads, the surface is brownish-yellow or brownish-brown, with longitudinal twisted longitudinal lines, the flesh is thin and loose, with many reticulations, the root head is thinner, single, occasionally forked. The upper half of the root is slightly enlarged, and the middle and lower parts of the root are split into several branches or a single root, with a right-handed twisted longitudinal groove and little oiliness.

 【Processing】

1. Stir-fried Qin Jiao 2. Wine-Qin Jiao

 【Identification】

《Annotations to Materia Medica Classic》: “Nowadays, it comes from Gansong, Longdong, and Canling, with long Da Huang and white color being the best.” 《Illustrated Materia Medica》: “The one with spiral patterns is the best.” 《Compendium of Materia Medica》: “[Shizhen said] The best is the one with roots that have spiral patterns and are intertwined.” 《Binhu Paozhi Method》: “[Shizhen said] Qin Jiao is good only when it has left-handed patterns.” 《Discernment of Good and Bad》: “The one with intertwined spiral patterns, shaped like fine silk, black in color and bitter in taste, is the best.”
The best is the one with thick, single roots, high oiliness, dry body, short reed head, thick flesh, high softness, brownish-yellow color, and fragrant aroma. In order of superiority, they are Da Qin Jiao, Yun Qin Jiao, Jin Qin Jiao, and Shan Qin Jiao.

 【Identification Terminology】

1. Coin Eye: Refers to the cross-section of the upper part of Qin Jiao medicinal material, which is slightly concave and square, with a square crack in the center of the ring pattern, similar to the square hole in a coin.
2. Braided Qin Jiao: The roots of Qin Jiao are split and intertwined, shaped like braids.
3. Goose Leg Qin Jiao: Large-leaved Qin Jiao is slightly conical, the roots are often clustered and twisted, thick at the top and thin at the bottom, twisted to the left, shaped like a goose leg, also called chicken leg.

Qin Jiao Main Differences
Name
Item Qin Jiao Ma Hua Qin Jiao Thick Stem Qin Jiao Small Qin Jiao
Shape The root is conical, thick at the top and thin at the bottom, the root head is often enlarged, shaped like a “chicken leg”, mostly composed of several fused rhizomes, the remaining stems have short fibrous leaf base vascular bundles, the root head is single or fused, the middle and lower parts are mostly branched, with longitudinal or twisted, the fibrous material at the top is shorter and less The root is cylindrical or cylindrical, the lower part of the main root is mostly branched or connected into a network, braided or braided after most are separated, the root head is often fused by several, twisted and interlaced, the middle and lower parts are mostly branched, the fibrous material at the top is more and longer The root is slightly cylindrical, thicker and straighter, shaped like an “oxtail”, the root head retains light brown petiole residues or fibrous leaf base vascular bundles, mostly single branches, the strips are straighter, and the fibrous material at the top is less The root is long spindle-shaped or long cylindrical, the main root is one or divided into several roots, the top retains the stem base and short fibrous leaf sheath
Size Length 10-30cm
Diameter 1-3cm Length 8-18cm
Diameter 1-3.5cm Length 12-20cm
Diameter 0.8-3cm Length 8-20cm
Diameter 0.2-1cm
Surface Yellowish-brown or grayish-brown, with longitudinal or twisted grooves Brownish-brown or dark brown, with network-like, braided, braided textures Yellowish-brown, reddish-brown or dark brown, with longitudinal twisted textures Yellowish-brown or brownish-brown, yellow when the outer skin is removed
Texture Hard and brittle, easily broken Loose and brittle, easily broken
Fibrous and hard, relatively light in weight Hard Firm, slightly heavy Loose and brittle, easily broken
Fracture Irregular, yellow or yellowish-brown Yellowish-white, irregular, mostly decayed Irregular, yellowish-brown Irregular, yellowish-white
Odor Peculiar odor, bitter and astringent taste Weak odor, bitter and astringent taste Weak odor, bitter and astringent taste Relatively weak odor, bitter and astringent taste

【Chapter】

Roots