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Chenpi is a classic example of "food and medicine from the same source", and a daily staple on the tables and tea trays of Lingnan. Understand it, and you'll truly appreciate its value.
What is Chenpi
Chenpi is the peel of ripe tangerines, peeled, sun-dried and aged for at least three years into a traditional medicinal ingredient and food. By the traditional definition, tangerine peel must be aged for three full years before it can be called "Chenpi".
Pubei Chenpi uses local Dahonggan tangerines (Chazhigan) as its raw material. The natural barrier of the Liuwan Mountains and the mild, humid climate of the Beibu Gulf produce Pubei Dahonggan with "thick skin and rich oil", whose key medicinal component, hesperidin, can reach 3.7% — above the national pharmacopoeia standard.
Food and Medicine
Chenpi is both a medicinal herb and a kitchen and tea-table staple. The following reflects traditional dietary wisdom, provided for daily reference.
Traditionally used to help relieve chest and abdominal fullness and poor appetite.
Commonly used in soups and stews to help relieve phlegm and cough.
A cup of Chenpi water after a meal helps digestion and cuts greasiness.
Great in tea, cooking and wine — a year-round wellness choice.
The above reflects traditional dietary wisdom and cannot replace medical treatment. Please consult a professional physician for any health concerns.
The Craft
The Pubei Chenpi craft has been passed down for over 100 years and is listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage project. Four core steps — none can be skipped.
Around the winter solstice, fully ripe Dahonggan tangerines are picked, when the peel is orange-red, the oil cells are full and the aroma is at its best.
Using the "three-knife method" or "symmetrical two-knife method", keeping the peel intact without cracking and the three lobes even.
After turning the peel, it is sun-dried in a ventilated place to fully dehydrate and set its shape while preserving the active compounds.
Naturally aged for over three years in a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment, the aroma transforms from fruity to a rich medicinal fragrance.
Vintage Identification
The longer it ages, the deeper the color, the richer the aroma and the higher the value. The table below summarizes the sensory characteristics of common vintages.
Color: light orange-yellow
Aroma: fresh, fruity
Taste: slightly sweet with citrus
Best for: daily brewing & cooking
Color: golden turning brown
Aroma: fruity turning herbal
Taste: mellow with sweet aftertaste
Best for: boiling & soup
Color: dark brown, glossy
Aroma: rich, aged
Taste: smooth and lingering
Best for: wellness brewing & gifting
Color: brownish-black with sheen
Aroma: deep herbal
Taste: sweet, mellow and rich
Best for: collecting & gifting
Brewing
Storage
Genuine vintage, traceable, direct from the source — we have it all, from three to over fifteen years.
