Gan Qi (Toxicodendron vernicifluum Resin) — Processed Dried Lacquer Herb, Charred & Calcined Forms, 500g

Gan Qi (干漆), botanically derived from the resin of Toxicodendron vernicifluum, is a processed traditional Chinese herb known in TCM as Gān Qī (干漆). Long classified among the blood-invigorating and mass-resolving herbs, Gan Qi has been prized in classical formulas for its ability to break up stagnation, disperse accumulations, and move blood where it has become constrained. Its nature is warm, acrid, and slightly toxic in raw form, which is why traditional practice relies on stir-frying (炒干漆), calcining (煅制干漆), or charring (炭熟干漆) to temper its intensity before use. This listing offers the processed dried lacquer herb in a 500g quantity, available in multiple prepared forms.

Key Selling Points

• Processed forms: stir-fried, calcined, and charred Gan Qi
• Traditional blood-invigorating and mass-resolving herb
• Toxicodendron vernicifluum resin source
• 500g bulk quantity for decoction use
• Available for custom powder grinding on request

Quality & Sensory

Processed Gan Qi appears as dark brown to blackish irregular pieces or lumps with a hard, brittle texture that breaks with a clean fracture. The stir-fried and charred forms carry a deep, smoky, slightly resinous aroma, while the calcined form is drier and more ash-like in appearance. When decocted, it yields a dark, bitter infusion with a faintly acrid note, typically combined with other herbs to soften its character.

Technical Specifications

Usage Scenarios

• Traditional decoction formulas
• Herbal pairing in classical TCM preparations
• Custom powder grinding for formula use
• Bulk storage for herbal practitioners

Traditional Uses

In classical TCM and folk herbal practice, Gan Qi is decocted into formulas traditionally used to invigorate blood, break up stagnant masses, and dispel accumulations. It appears in historical preparations addressing abdominal fullness, fixed pain, and constrained blood flow, often paired with herbs like peach kernel, safflower, and rhubarb. Because of its intensity, it is almost always used in processed form and within a balanced formula rather than alone. In some folk traditions, the charred form is reserved for gentler applications, while the calcined form is used where a drier, more astringent action is desired.

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