Gui Ban (Turtle Shell)
【Naming】
【Source】
Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic
【Common Usage Level】
B
【Origin】
Ventral shell of Chinemys reevesii Gary and other various freshwater turtles and tortoises spp. in the family Testudinidae.
【Characteristics】
(1) Gui Ban (Turtle Shell) ventral shell is slightly plate-shaped, oblong-oval, 10-20 cm long, 7-10 cm wide, and about 5 mm thick. The outer surface is yellowish-brown to brown, sometimes with purplish-brown textures, and the inner surface is yellowish-white to grayish-white. It is formed by the relative interlocking of 12 ventral scales. The texture is hard, and the interlocking parts have serrated sutures. The front end is wider, slightly round or truncated, and the rear end is narrower and recessed, presenting a triangular notch. The rib plates on both sides are composed of 4 pairs of rib scales. The rib plates are like wings inlaid on both sides, and one residual marginal scale often remains at both ends. The texture is hard and can be broken from the bone plate sutures. “Blood shell” is shiny, does not peel, and the bottom plate is sometimes slightly stained with blood. “Scalded shell” is mostly dull and has peeling marks. The texture is hard, the outer edge of the fracture surface is ivory white, solid, and the inside is milky white or flesh red with gaps. It has a fishy odor and a slightly salty taste.
(2) Gui Ban (Turtle Shell) Glue: It is a square flat block, about 2.6 cm long, about 2.5 cm wide, and about 0.8 cm thick. It is brown with a slight green tint, and the top has an old yellow “oil head” with reddish-brown stripes. When viewed against the light, it is transparent and clean like amber. The texture is hard and brittle, easily softened when exposed to moisture and heat, and easily shattered after the lime absorbs moisture and dries. It has a slight odor and a slightly salty taste.
Color image source
I. Freshwater Turtle Family BATAGURIDAE
1. Chinese pond turtle Chinemys reevesii (Fig. 1: 1~36)
2. Black-necked pond turtle Chinemys nigricans (Fig. 2: 1~8)
3. Yellow-margined box turtle Cistoclemmys flavomarginata (Fig. 3: 1~5)
4. Vietnamese three-striped box turtle Cistoclemmys galbinifrons (Fig. 4: 1~3)
5. Hainan box turtle Cistoclemmys hainanensis (Fig. 5: 1~3)
6. Amboina box turtle Cuora amboinensis (Fig. 6: 1~16)
7. Three-lined box turtle Cuora trifasciata (Fig. 7: 1~9)
8. Toothed turtle Cyclemys dentata (Fig. 8: 1~23)
9. Indian star tortoise Geochelone elegans (Fig. 9: 1~5)
10. Leopard tortoise Geochelone pardalis (Fig. 10: 1~5)
11. Radiated tortoise Geochelone radiata (Fig. 11: 1~3)
12. Spotted pond turtle Geoclemys hamiltonii (Fig. 12: 1~5)
13. Black-breasted leaf turtle Geoemyda spengleri (Fig. 13: 1~9)
14. Red-crowned roofed turtle Hardella thurgii (Fig. 14: 1~5)
15. Arakan forest turtle Heosemys depressa (Fig. 1: 1~3)
16. Giant Asian pond turtle Heosemys grandis (Fig. 16: 1~15)
17. Spiny turtle Heosemys spinosa (Fig. 17: 1~13)
18. Temple turtle Hieremys a
andalei (Fig. 18: 1~8)
19. Smith’s roofed turtle Kachuga smith (Fig. 19: 1~4)
20. Indian roofed turtle Kachuga tecta (Fig. 20: 1~7)
21. Philippine forest turtle Leucocephalon yuwonol (Fig. 21: 1~4)
22. Malayan snail-eating turtle Malayemys subtrijuga (Fig. 22: 1~29)
23. Yellow-headed temple turtle Mauremys mutica (Fig. 23: 1~9)
24. Burmese eyed turtle Morenia ocellata (Fig. 24: 1~6)
25. Indian black turtle Morenia petersi (Fig. 25: 1~3)
26. Flat-shelled turtle Notochelys platynota (Fig. 26: 1~11)
27. Chinese stripe-necked turtle Ocadia sinensis (Fig. 27: 1~6)
28. Bornean river turtle Orlitia borneensis (Fig. 28: 1~9)
29. Red-eared slider Pseudemys scripta elegans (Fig. 29: 1~8)
30. Keeled box turtle Pyxidea mouhotii (Fig. 30: 1~13)
31. Beal’s eyed turtle Sacalia bealei bealei (Fig. 31: 1~16)
32. Four-eyed turtle Sacalia quardriocellata (Fig. 32: 1~13)
33. Black marsh turtle Siebenrockiella crassicollis (Fig. 33: 1~14)
II. Tortoise Family TESTUDINIDAE
34. Elongated tortoise Indotestudo elongata (Fig. 34: 1~14)
35. Impressed tortoise Manouria impressa (Fig. 35: 1~9)
36. Russian tortoise Testudo horsfieldi (Fig. 36: 1~5)
III. Big-headed Turtle Family PLATYSTERNIDAE
37. Big-headed turtle Platysternon megacephalum (Fig. 37: 1~7)
【Processing】
1. Raw Gui Ban (Turtle Shell) 2. Processed Gui Ban (Turtle Shell) 3. Vinegar-treated Gui Ban (Turtle Shell).
(1) Traditional Processing Methods: 1. Soaking in water until rotten 2. Soaking in noodle soup 3. Burying in mud and sand
(2) Thermal Decomposition Methods: 1. Steaming 2. Soaking in water and steaming 3. Steam heating 4. High-pressure steaming 5. Boiling in water 6. Smothering (boiling in water and smothering) 7. Direct sand-scalding (sand-frying) 8. Or water-boiling followed by sand-scalding 9. Sand-scalding with vinegar quenching 10. Dry-baking with vinegar quenching (dry-heat steaming with vinegar quenching) 11. Electric heating with vinegar quenching (electric heating, electric drying, electric drying with vinegar quenching) 12. Far-infrared oven baking with vinegar quenching
(3) Enzyme Bacterial Decomposition Methods: 1. Protease method 2. Yeast method 3. Edible fungi method 4. Pig pancreas purification method
(4) Chemical Treatment Methods: 1. Soaking in limewater 2. Soaking in baking soda (alkaline noodles) water
(5) Boiling Gui Ban (Turtle Shell) Glue, Gui-Lu (Turtle and Deer) Glue, Gui-Lu Er Xian (Turtle and Deer Two Immortals) Glue
【Identification】
“Materia Medica Classified According to Patterns”: “Only take those produced in the Qin region, the larger ones are superior”, “Those that are one foot and two inches long are good”, “The raw, naturally shed ones are the best for medicinal use”.
“Materia Medica Classified According to Patterns”: “Tao Hongjing said: The best are those that are one foot and two inches long”.
“Compendium of Materia Medica”: “[Tao Hongjing said] This uses divine turtles from the water, those that are one foot and two inches long are good”.
“Essentials of Materia Medica”: “Turtle shells that have died naturally are the best”.
“Essentials of Materia Medica Prepared”: “The larger ones are good, both the upper and lower shells can be used”.
“Investigating the Truth of Materia Medica”: “Turtle shells from large turtles that died naturally are good”.
“New Compilation of Empirical Formulas”: “Turtle glue: This glue should also be boiled by oneself, the shells that are thick and black are the best”.
“External Treatment for Longevity”: “Turtle shells from those that have just died are good”.
Gui Ban (Turtle Shell) is best if it is a blood shell, large, dry, pure bottom shell, without wall panels, without fire-burned panels, complete, clean, and free of rotten meat.
After killing the captured live turtles, remove the back shell and scrape off the muscles and tendons, take the ventral shell, wash it clean, and dry it in the sun or air. This is called “blood shell”. The surface of the blood shell is smooth, the outer skin is still present, and sometimes it has slight blood marks. It produces a lot of glue and is of the best quality. If the turtle is scalded to death in boiling water and the ventral shell is split off and dried, it is called “cooked shell, scalded shell”. It produces less glue and is less effective. If it is obtained by burning the turtle to death, it is called “fire-burned shell” and is of poor quality. In the past, Gui Ban (Turtle Shell) products were all ventral shells, but in recent years, back shells have also begun to be used. The quality of the back shell is slightly inferior to that of the ventral shell, but the efficacy is acceptable.
【Identification Terms】
1. Blood shell (blood slice): A specification of Gui Ban (Turtle Shell). That is, killing the live turtle, immediately taking its ventral shell, removing the muscles and tendons, washing and drying it. The quality is good. Refers to the part of the Gui Ban (Turtle Shell) that is slightly stained with blood or residual meat.
2. Coin shell: Refers to the small hole in the center of the juvenile turtle that resembles an ancient coin.
3. Scalded shell: A specification of Gui Ban (Turtle Shell). That is, placing the live turtle in boiling water to cook it, and taking the ventral shell after it dies. Its quality is not as good as “blood shell”.
4. Han shell: Specifically refers to the blood shell (a type of Gui Ban (Turtle Shell)) produced in the Dongting Lake area of Hunan. Traditionally, its quality is considered the best.
5. Wall panel: The turtle shell has carapacial bridges on both sides that are wing-shaped and curved diagonally upwards.
6. Side wall (also known as wall panel): Refers to the plate-like body formed by the 5 small plates surrounding and connecting the sides of the turtle’s ventral and dorsal shells. Its shape is wing-shaped, so it is also called “wall panel”.
【Chapter】
Vertebrate Class