Aged Tangerine Peel
Pinyin: Chénpí · traditional food ingredient
AT A GLANCE
The sun-dried, years-old citrus peel Chinese kitchens reach for first — a pinch in tea settles a full stomach, a slice in stew wakes the whole pot. The most-ordered 'digestive' in the tradition.
The traditional view
Aged tangerine peel (Chénpí, 陈皮) is classified bitter, pungent and warm, associated with spleen and lung systems — the tradition's premier qi-moving, damp-drying ingredient. 'The older, the better' (陈久者良) is its famous tag: peels aged for years develop depth and gentleness.
Guangdong's Xinhui chenpi is the most celebrated origin; a small jar in the kitchen lasts a household years.
How it is used in the kitchen
Chenpi tea: 3 g peel, hot water, 5 minutes — the after-meal classic.
Chenpi & astragalus congee (陈皮黄芪粥): rice 100 g, chenpi powder 15 g, astragalus 20 g — from the food-therapy reference (高血压 chapter).
In stews and braises: one strip into any rich pot — the kitchen's wake-up call.
Who should go easy
Warm and drying by tradition — those with dry throat, dry cough or yin-deficiency heat may use it sparingly or pair it with moistening ingredients.
Classic source
《本草纲目》 lists chenpi in the fruit section; Li Shizhen writes that its qi-following action spans the whole middle burner. It appears in more classical formulas than almost any other kitchen item.
Questions people actually ask
What is chenpi used for?
Moving qi and drying damp — the first pinch for bloating, fullness and heavy meals. It is the most-used digestive in the entire tradition.
Can I use fresh orange peel instead?
No — fresh peel is harsher and lacks the aged depth; chenpi has been dried for months to years. Aged citrus peel from Asian groceries works.
How much chenpi per cup?
2–3 g (a small pinch) per cup of tea is the customary amount — it is potent, not delicate.
