There are many regions in China that produce Chenpi, why is it that only the Chenpi produced by Xinhui is so outstanding? It has been respected by many famous doctors throughout the ages, and has been regarded as a Taoist medicinal herb. Today, let’s talk about the story of Xinhui Chenpi. g3M Tea Net
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For Chenpi, the Chinese Pharmacopoeia is described as: “Rutaceae plant orange (Citrus reticulata Blanco) and its cultivated varieties of dry mature fruit peel. Pick the mature fruit, peel the rind, and dry in the sun or at low temperature.” g3M Tea
Chenpi can be categorized into common Chenpi and Guang Chenpi, among which Xinhui is the most popular local therapeutic herb. Chenpi has a long history of development, but at the beginning of the production area of Chenpi is not clearly delineated, after several changes, finally established in Xinhui, Guangdong. g3M Tea Net
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In the beginning, orange first appeared in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in the Jianghuai area. By the Han Dynasty, the cultivation of tangerines began to be recorded along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. In “Shennong Ben Cao Jing”, it is said that “it is born in the southern mountains and valleys.” The “South Mountain and River Valley” here refers to the present Qinling area, which belongs to the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. g3M Tea Net
Until the North and South Dynasties medicine Tao Hongjing began to pay attention to the concoction and classification of medicinal herbs, and proposed to pay attention to the Chenpi medicinal herbs to distinguish between the production areas. g3M Tea Leaf Net
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▲Tao Hongjing g3M Tea Leaf Net
He also wrote in the “Materia Medica Classic Annotated” that “East orange is good, Xijiang also have but not as good. The skin is small and cold, healing gas, is said to win the orange. North people also use it, and to the Chen for good.” “East orange” should be the Yangtze River Delta region of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, while the West River should be the present Jiangxi region. g3M Tea Network
In the Song Dynasty, Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas became the production area of orange peel. In the Ming Dynasty, the orange peel production area was moved south to Guangdong, until now it is still widely produced for the road. g3M Tea Net
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▲Li Shizhen g3M Tea Net
This is recorded in Li Shizhen’s “Compendium of Materia Medica”: Today, the following more than Guangzhong (i.e., Xinhui) to come to the winner, followed by Jiangxi. Ancient Chinese pharmacological works “Herbal Harm” also has relevant records: Guangdong Xinhui skin for the victory, Chen long good, so the name Chen Pi. Fujian producers named Jianpi, force thin. Zhejiang Quzhou out of the name of Qu Pi, more second. g3M Tea Net
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Due to the obvious quality characteristics of Chaji Citrus (Dahong Citrus), Xinhui Chenpi, which is made from its rind, is also of unique quality. Specific varieties of genes become the foundation of the quality of Xinhui Chenpi. g3M Tea Leaf Net
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Thanks to the excellent variety of Xinhui Citrus, the content of “volatile oil” and “flavonoids” is higher than that of common Brassicaceae varieties in Xinhui Pericarp (as shown below). (The following picture) g3M Tea Net
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▲Nanjing Pharmaceutical College, “Chinese Herbal Medicine” g3M Tea Net
It can be seen that the volatile oil content of Xinhui “Cha Zhi Kuan” peel is the highest among the sampled peels. g3M Te a Net
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▲Figure from: “Comparative study of 4 kinds of flavonoids in Chenpi and Qingpi”, Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qiu Rongli et al. It can be seen that the contents of Guangdong Chenpi are higher than those of other regions, and some of the substances are even more than those of other regions by 10 times. g3M Tea Leaf Net
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Environment and characteristics of Xinhui Chenpi
1、Unique soil and water
Unique “three water integration” water and soil characteristics: the territory of the Xijiang River and the Tanjiang River convergence, coupled with the annual South China Sea tidal inverted, in the Xijiang River floods and the Tanjiang River tide and the South China Sea water under the joint action of the formation of the unique “three water integration” water and soil characteristics. g3M Tea Leaf Net
December each year to the next year before the flood season in March and April, Xijiang, Tanjiang runoff reduction, the South China Sea tidal inversion, the formation of an annual salty tide, the salt content of 3-9 ‰, soil and water composition infiltrated a large number of seawater elements, salty and light blend. This determines the soil of Xinhui has both a variety of soil composition types, rich water, sedimentary organic matter and seawater salts to achieve the quality of the source of the geological material. g3M Tea Net
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2、Climate is unique
Xinhui is located in the south subtropical monsoon climate zone, with abundant light and hot water, which is a relatively high temperature area for citrus production. Under sufficient temperature and humidity conditions, it is very favorable for Xinhui Chenpi to form the quality characteristics of larger slices, thicker proper skins, larger oil packet grains, fuller oil chambers and strong fragrance. g3M Tea Net
At the same time, Xinhui belongs to the micro-hilly plains area, north of the Guifeng Mountain Range, south of the Gudou Mountain Range and Nguguling Mountain Range, surrounded by Yinzhou Lake and its plains, unique “wet basin” microclimate and the “oceanic monsoon” climate combination, the formation of significant dry and wet, hot and cold. g3M Tea Net
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▲Xinhui Chenpi has larger slices and full oil chamber. Under such a climate, the dried fruit peels are deeply affected by the climate with obvious rhythm during the aging process of up to three years, and the quality of aging also has distinctive characteristics, which is called “dry and wet alternate aging” and “cold and hot alternate aging”, which is not found in other places. “This is an aging condition that is not found elsewhere, and is also the key to the formation of quality after aging. g3M Tea Net
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3、Unique Technique
In the long production practice and exploration, Xinhui Chenpi has gradually established a unique set of “three times”, “three styles” and “three colors”, “three levels” and “three petals” grading standards (“three times” refers to the three harvesting periods, “three styles” refers to the three kinds of goods, “three colors” refers to three colors, “three levels” refers to three grades, and “three petals” refers to three open skins) and the scientific and technical processes of planting, harvesting, washing, opening skins, anti-skinning, tanning, and aging. g3M Tea Net
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▲Three petals open skin varieties, soil and water, climate, production technology, the four are indispensable. g3M Tea Network
It is the uniqueness and irreplaceability of these four specific factors that form the quality of Xinhui Chenpi’s authenticity, and become the key factor and real reason why Xinhui Chenpi is superior to other production areas. g3M Tea Net