【Source 】

Leguminosae Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., G. inflata Bat. or G. glabra L. The root and underground stem. Those with the outer bark and cork removed are called powdered licorice.

Properties of the medicinal material Long cylindrical, unbranched, mostly cut into sections of 30~120 cm, diameter 0.6~3.5 cm. Licorice with skin has unevenly tight outer bark. Visibly reddish-brown, brown, with distinct wrinkles and grooves, lenticels scattered horizontally, slightly raised, dark yellow. The outer bark sometimes peels off in scales, revealing a yellowish inner bark. It is firm and heavy. The fracture surface is fibrous, yellowish-white, and powdery. Powdered licorice is flat on the surface, pale yellow, fibrous, with longitudinal cracks.

The cut drug consists of thin slices, cut transversely or obliquely, about 2 mm thick. The surface is reddish-brown, the cut surface is yellowish-white, with a distinct cambium ring and a chrysanthemum pattern (chrysanthemum core), the ray parts are radially fissured, the wood vessel pores are small, and the annual rings are sometimes faintly visible. The root and rhizome slices have a distinct pith in the center.  Honey-fried licorice is blackish-brown, yellowish-brown, and sticky.

Common processed products 1. Raw licorice  2. Honey-fried licorice

【Quality Identification】 

《Ben Cao Tu Jing》: “There are several types of licorice currently. Those with a firm fracture are better.”  

《Yi Fang Lei Ju》: “Licorice, regardless of quantity, is better if it is powdery.”

《Ben Cao Pin Hui Jing Yao》: “Roots that are firm, powdery, and plump are good.”  

《Ren Shu Bian Lan》: “Large licorice is better,” “For licorice, use raw in slow fire, large ones are better.”

《Ben Cao Bei Yao》: “Large and knotty ones are good.” 《Ben Jing Feng Yuan》: “Purple and pungent ones are best.”  《Liang Lie Jian Bie》: “Its fracture surface is bright yellow, the texture is firm and long, straight, and the taste is sweet, it is good. … The diameter is about one inch, the shape is tightly packed, and the cross-section has clear textures. Li Shizhen calls it powdered licorice.”

For licorice with skin, the outer bark should be fine and tight, with grooves, reddish-brown, firm texture, and neat ends, showing the characteristic of “inverted skin and protruding flesh.” The fracture surface is yellow, the flesh is bright yellow, sufficiently powdery, and sweet is best. If the outer bark is rough, grayish-brown, loose texture, small in powder content, and the fracture surface is deep yellow, it is secondary. If the outer bark is brownish-black, hard texture, the fracture surface is brownish-yellow, and the taste is bitter, it should not be used.  Powdered licorice is better than licorice with skin.

Western licorice is superior to Eastern licorice, and Eastern licorice is superior to Xinjiang licorice. Among Western licorice, the best are those produced in Hangjinqi and Alxa League, formerly known as Liangwai licorice.  

【Terminology】  

1. Big Licorice (Special Grade Licorice): A commercial specification of licorice. Its diameter is thicker, between 2.5~4 cm.
2. Rough Licorice: A commercial specification of licorice. The roots are not straight but curved, with a diameter of 0.5 cm or more.
3. Peel Licorice (Red Licorice): Refers to the commercial licorice medicinal material with reddish-brown cork. It is the opposite of “powdered licorice.”
4. Western Licorice: In the past, it generally referred to licorice produced in western Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang, etc., and was considered to be of higher quality than “Eastern Licorice.” However, modern usage is not strictly based on origin; in commerce, higher quality licorice is called “Western Licorice.”
5. Longitudinal Grooves: Specifically refers to the distinct longitudinal wrinkles and grooves formed on the surface of the medicinal material after licorice is dried.
6. Eastern Licorice: In the past, it generally referred to licorice produced in eastern Inner Mongolia, Northeast China, Hebei, Shanxi, etc., and was considered inferior in quality to “Western Licorice.” However, modern usage is not strictly based on origin; in commerce, inferior licorice is collectively called “Eastern Licorice.”
7. Hada Licorice: Refers to licorice produced in Hebei and Northeast China, which is of inferior quality.
8. Spring Licorice: Refers to licorice harvested in spring. Its stalk is spongy, with little powder content, and the quality is slightly inferior.
9. Autumn Licorice: Refers to licorice harvested in autumn. It is firm, heavy, and rich in powder, with better quality.
10. Powdered Licorice: Refers to the commercial licorice medicinal material with the outer bark removed. It is the opposite of “Peel Licorice.” It is also called “White Licorice” or “White Powdered Licorice.”
11. Licorice Knots: A commercial specification of licorice. It is made by cutting single pieces into sections, with a diameter between 0.7~1.5 cm. However, it does not include fibrous roots or lumpy heads.
12. Bone Strength: A description of the medicinal material being firm and heavy. For example, licorice, Panax notoginseng, etc.
13. Strip Licorice: A commercial specification of licorice. Its characteristics are single, straight strips with a diameter between 0.7~1.5 cm.
14. Loofah Grooves: Refers to the grooves on the surface of licorice, shaped like “loofah grooves.”
15. Chrysanthemum Pattern (Chrysanthemum Core): (1) Refers to the radial pattern formed in the wood after the wood rays or wood parenchyma cells dry and shrink, forming cracks. It is shaped like a chrysanthemum formed by the intersection of wood rays and phloem rays. For example, licorice, Sophora flavescens, Astragalus propinquus, Saposhnikovia divaricata, Platycodon grandiflorus, high-quality Ginseng slices. (2) Refers to the pattern formed by the interweaving of wood rays with the cambium or annual rings, such as in Lindera erythrocarpa, Paeonia lactiflora, Angelica sinensis, Panax notoginseng, etc.
16. Inverted Skin and Protruding Flesh: Licorice is firm, with neat ends, the outer skin is inverted, the flesh protrudes from the skin, and the fracture surface is yellow.
17. Shrunken Buttocks (Pepper Pores): One of the identification characteristics of genuine licorice. It refers to the small, sunken pores in the center of the original fracture surface at both ends of the licorice (Western Licorice) medicinal material, where the pith is slightly depressed. Also called “Pepper Pores.”
18. Alkaline Bark: The surface of Xinjiang licorice is covered with white frost, called alkaline bark.
19. Taiwan Market Products Licorice is divided into two major categories by origin: (1) Eastern Licorice: Eastern Inner Mongolia and Northeast, Hebei, Shanxi, etc.  (2) Western Licorice: Western Inner Mongolia and Shaanxi, Gansu, Shanxi, etc. (This is the old designation Liangwai Cao and Xizhen Cao still used in Taiwan).  (3) Xinjiang Licorice: Xinjiang, Gansu.
20. Eastern Licorice: Divided into strip licorice (grades 1-3) and bulk (rough licorice). Western Licorice: Divided into large licorice (bulk), strip licorice (grades 1-3 or special grade, A, B, C grade), rough licorice (bulk), and knots (licorice heads, bulk).
21. Taiwan market products are mainly Western Licorice: large licorice (bulk), strip licorice (grades 1-3 or special grade, A, B, C grade). Powdered licorice is made by removing the outer bark, with a tender yellow color, generally made from scraped Grade A licorice. Licorice paste is a finished product boiled from licorice.