Harvesting and processing: From May to June, collect naturally fallen young fruits, dry them in the sun, and commonly refer to them as “ge qingpi”; from July to August, harvest immature fruits, make longitudinal incisions along the fruit peel down to the base, remove all the pulp segments, then dry them in the sun, commonly known as “si hua qingpi,” also called “si hua qingpi.”
Medicinal part: the pericarp of unripe fruits
Place of origin: Guangdong, etc.
Family: Rutaceae
Original plant: Mandarin orange

Characteristics of the crude drug Qingpi:
(1) The peel of the Four-Transformation Green Citrus is typically divided into four lobes, each lobe being oblong and 4–6 cm long, with a thickness of 0.1–0.2 cm. The outer surface is grayish-green or dark green, often bearing numerous oil dots (oil vesicles); the inner surface is off-white or yellowish-white, rough, and adorned with small yellowish-white or yellow-brown veins. The texture is slightly hard and easily broken, with 1–2 rows of oil dots along the outer margin of the fracture surface. It has a fragrant aroma and a bitter, pungent taste. Fruits with green outer skin, white flesh, and thick skin are preferred.

(2) The immature fruits are green-skinned, globose, and 0.5–2 cm in diameter. The surface is green or dark green, slightly rough, with dense, sunken oil dots; the apex bears a slightly raised style base, and the base shows a circular pedicel scar. The texture is hard; the cross-section reveals a yellowish-white or pale yellow-brown pericarp, 1–2 mm thick, with 1–2 rows of oil dots along the outer margin. The pulp consists of 8–10 segments, light brown in color. The aroma is fresh and fragrant, with a taste that is sour, bitter, and pungent. The best ones are uniform in shape, firm in texture, heavy in weight, thick-fleshed, with small seeds, and intensely fragrant.

Properties of green-skinned medicinal herbs:
[Various Theoretical Discussions] 1. In the “Zhenzhu Nang”: Qingpi primarily addresses qi stagnation and resolves accumulations and concretions; it is the principal herb for the Shaoyang Channel. Chenpi is more effective in treating conditions above the diaphragm, whereas Qingpi is more effective below it.
2. Li Gao: Green tangerine peel, when there is stagnation of qi, it dispels such stagnation; when there is no stagnation of qi, it harms the true qi. Moreover, it breaks up stagnation and reduces hard accumulations—its effects are most pronounced in conditions localized in the lower jiao. It also directs the medicinal properties to the Jueyin channel and facilitates the downward movement of food into the Taiyin reservoir.
3. Green tangerine peel is a herb that acts on the qi level of the Liver and Gallbladder meridians. It is indicated when there is excessive anger, stagnant qi, fullness or distention in the hypochondrium, or hernial pain in the lower abdomen; in such cases, it is used to unblock these two meridians and promote the flow of qi. However, if the Liver and Gallbladder are deficient, one should first tonify them before employing this herb. Moreover, when dispersing Liver qi, green tangerine peel may be added; if it is stir-fried until charred, it will then act on the blood level.
4. Compendium of Materia Medica: Green tangerine peel is green in color and pungent in nature, with a bitter yet acrid taste; it is best treated with vinegar. As the saying goes, “When the liver’s qi tends to disperse, one should promptly consume pungent substances to disperse it, sour substances to drain it, and bitter substances to descend it.” Dried tangerine peel floats and ascends, entering the spleen and lung channels, whereas green tangerine peel sinks and descends, entering the liver and gallbladder channels—two functions in one, a natural principle of nature. In children, green tangerine peel is often used to eliminate food stagnation and promote digestion; it is particularly effective at inducing perspiration. However, it should not be used when there is already sweating, as noted in Yang Renzhai’s Direct Instructions on Formulas—a point seldom understood. 5. Commentary on the Classic of Materia Medica: Green tangerine peel has an extremely pungent and harsh nature; its chief strengths lie in breaking down hardness and resolving stagnation. Yet if taken in error, it can immediately deplete the body’s vital qi, causing considerable harm. Therefore, whenever it is to be employed, it must always be combined with tonifying herbs for the spleen, such as ginseng, Atractylodes, and white peony, in order to avoid adverse consequences; it must never be used alone.
6. According to the “Compendium of Materia Medica”: Green tangerine peel is a medicinal herb that dispels stagnant qi and reduces hard, accumulated masses. Whenever vexation and anger give rise to逆 qi, resulting in stabbing pain in the hypochondria, or when hernial qi surges upward and pulls on the lower abdomen, these two conditions are due to disharmony of the liver qi; or when warm malaria causes fullness and oppression with unclear chills and fever, or when severe dysentery causes intense abdominal pain and distension, or when children suffer from food-related malnutrition and various accumulations, leading to a distended abdomen and emaciated limbs—these three conditions are attributable to disharmony of the spleen qi. This formula is bitter in nature, which helps to purge; pungent, which disperses; and aromatic, which expels pathogenic factors and dissipates miasmic influences, thereby facilitating the smooth movement of food and water—truly a specialized remedy.
7. “Compendium of Materia Medica”: The smaller variety of citrus is known as green tangerine peel; its therapeutic functions are essentially the same, though its nature is somewhat more pungent. Green tangerine peel primarily enters the Liver, yet it is most often indicated for disorders of the Lung and Spleen. In malaria, the pulse is typically wiry, reflecting the pathogenic influence of Liver Wind; green tangerine peel, by entering the Liver, disperses pathogenic factors, and by entering the Spleen, clears phlegm. Hence, it is an indispensable herb in the treatment of malaria.
8. “Compendium of Materia Medica”: Treats qi stagnation and poor digestion, resolves accumulations and phlegm-dampness, and alleviates diaphragmatic qi.
9. “Medical Origins”: According to the “Secrets of Chief Indications,” it is indicated for disorders involving the Jueyin and Shaoyang channels. It breaks up hard masses and accumulations, disperses stagnant qi, eliminates various dampness in the lower jiao, and addresses accumulations and qi stagnation in the left hypochondrium.
10. Compendium of Materia Medica: Treats reverse qi in the chest and diaphragm, flank pain, lower abdominal hernia, resolves breast swelling, soothes the liver and gallbladder, and drains lung qi.
11. “Compendium of Materia Medica”: Removes phlegm and alleviates fullness; treats liver-qi stagnation, flank pain accompanied by frequent anger, chronic malaria with resulting masses, hernial pain, and breast swelling.
12. “Modern Practical Chinese Materia Medica”: Treats stomach pain, vomiting, fever reduction, and elimination of phlegm and fluid retention.
[Note]
1. Those with qi deficiency should use with caution.
2. “Renzhai Zhizhi Fang”: Not to be used in cases with perspiration.
3. “Ben Cao Meng Quan”: It is especially advisable for the elderly, the infirm, and those with deficiency to abstain completely.
4. “Compendium of Materia Medica with Commentaries”: Those with deficiency of liver and spleen qi should absolutely avoid its use.
【Processing】 Citrus reticulata pericarp: Remove impurities, wash thoroughly, allow to soften by steaming and moistening, slice into thick pieces or shreds, and sun-dry.
Vinegar-processed green tangerine peel: Take slices or shreds of green tangerine peel and stir-fry according to the vinegar-frying method (Appendix II D) until slightly yellow. Use 15 kg of vinegar for every 100 kg of green tangerine peel.
【Properties and Flavor】 Bitter, pungent; warm in nature.
【Channel Tropism】 Enters the Liver, Gallbladder, and Stomach meridians.
【Functions and Indications】 Soothes the liver and disperses qi; eliminates accumulation and resolves stagnation. Used for distending pain in the chest and hypochondrium, hernia, mammary nodules, mastitis, and abdominal pain due to food stagnation.
【Usage and Dosage】 3–9 g.
【Storage】 Store in a cool, dry place.