Chen Pi (Guang Chen Pi) (Cut into 4 segments, orange-red, brownish-brown, wrinkled and sunken with fine oil chambers, yellowish-white veins inside, spongy, fragrant, spicy, easily broken)

Top five black pieces of 15-year-old Guang Chen Pi

Chen Pi (Generally made from tangerine peel)

Chen Pi slices (Long strips)

Chen Pi slices

Four-processed Chen Pi

Dyed four-processed Chen Pi

Attached: Ba Xian Guo (Eight Immortals Fruit)

Attached: Tiger Orange Wrapped Tea Leaves

【Naming】

Chen Pi

 【Source】

Superior class in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica)

 【Commonly Used Degree】

A

 【Botanical Origin】

Dried, ripe peel of Citrus reticulate Blanco. (Tangerine) of the Rutaceae family and related plants of the same genus.

 【Characteristics】

The complete peel is often cut into 3~4 segments, each segment mostly oval, connected at the fruit stalk. Sometimes broken and separated, or in irregular fragments. The slices are 1~2㎜ thick, usually curled inward; the outer surface is bright orange-red, yellowish-brown to brownish-brown, with countless small and sunken oil chambers; the inner surface is light yellowish-white, spongy, with short linear vascular bundle (tangerine vein) marks, denser at the fruit stalk. The texture is soft, brittle when dry, easily broken, and the fracture surface is uneven. The aroma is fragrant, and the taste is bitter.

 【Processing】

1. Cut into long strips, sun-dried. 2. Stir-fried Chen Pi 3. Four-processed Chen Pi

 【Identification】

《Wai Tai Mi Yao (Arcane Essentials from the Imperial Library)》: “All of Lang Du (Euphorbia fischeriana), Zhi Shi (Citrus aurantium), Tangerine Peel, Ban Xia (Pinellia ternata), Ma Huang (Ephedra sinica), Wu Zhu Yu (Evodia rutaecarpa) are better when aged. The rest should be fresh and new.” 《Zheng Lei Ben Cao (Classified Materia Medica)》: “The aged ones are preferred”, “The core and peel should be collected by oneself as best”, “Tao Hongjing said: Eastern tangerines are the best”, “Among them, Ru Gan (sweet orange) is the top.” 《Pu Ji Fang (Formulas for Universal Relief)》: “Aged tangerine peel is best after three to five years.” 《Pu Ji Fang》: “Tangerine peel with the white part removed and with fine red color is best.” 《Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica)》: “[Li Shizhen said] Tangerine peel with a red color and aged for a long time is the best”, “Today, those from Guangzhong are mostly considered superior.” 《Ren Shu Bian Lan (Convenient Handbook of Benevolent Arts)》: “Chen Pi from Guang is the best, and the red ones are better.” 《Ben Cao Bei Yao (Essentials of Materia Medica)》: “Those from Guangzhong that are aged are good, hence the name Chen Pi (Aged Peel).” 《Jiang Nang Cuo Yao (Essentials from the Silk Bag)》: “Chen Pi from Xinhui is the best.” 《Liang Lie Jian Bie (Discernment of Good and Bad)》: “The outer skin is reddish-brown, the inner surface is white and smooth, and the texture is fine and beautiful is the best.” It is best if the color is golden yellow, without spots, and complete.”

 【Identification Terms】

1. Oil spots: Refer to the many small gland points in the leaves and peels of citrus plants, which are cavities secreting volatile oils. Such as Chen Pi.
2. Bristle skin: The dense large depressions on the surface of Guang Chen Pi (Xinhui peel), which are transparent when viewed against the light and are oil chambers.
3. Bristle eyes: Refers to the closely arranged small dots on the surface of fruit-based medicinal materials, which are clearly transparent when illuminated. Botanically known as oil chambers, such as Chen Pi.

 【Category】

Fruits