Gui Si (Cinnamomum cassia) — Dried Cinnamon Bark Shreds, Food-Herb Spice for Hot Pot & Broth

Gui Si (Cinnamomum cassia) are dried, hand-shredded strips of cinnamon bark known in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as Guì Sī (桂丝), also called You Pi Gui Si (有皮桂丝) when the outer bark layer is retained. A revered food-herb (药食同源) spice native to Guangxi, China, Gui Si has been prized for centuries as a warming, yang-supporting aromatic used to invigorate the body, disperse cold, and harmonize the middle burner. Its nature is pungent, sweet, and intensely warming, making it a bold yet comforting spice for daily cooking and seasonal nourishment.

Key Selling Points

• Traditional warming food-herb spice (药食同源)
• Dried cinnamon bark shreds with outer bark retained
• Cinnamomum cassia from Guangxi, China
• Ideal for hot pot bases, broths, and braises
• 500g value pack, 24-month shelf life

Quality & Sensory

Each batch is carefully shredded and dried to preserve its reddish-brown color, fibrous texture, and warm, sweet-spicy aroma. The strips retain a thin outer bark layer that deepens the fragrance. When simmered in broth or hot pot, Gui Si releases a rich, rounded warmth with notes of honey and wood, leaving a lingering sweet-pungent finish that perfumes the entire pot without turning bitter.

Technical Specifications

Usage Scenarios

• Hot pot and steamboat broth base
• Slow-simmered meat and bone broths
• Braised dishes and marinades
• Medicinal food soup packs
• Spice blends for daily cooking

Traditional Uses

In folk herbal practice, Gui Si is added to hot pot broths, braised meats, and warming winter soups to disperse cold and enliven the appetite. It is a classic companion to star anise, clove, and fennel in medicinal food (药膳) cooking, and is often simmered with ginger and jujube in seasonal tonics. As a daily spice, it lends warmth to congee, stews, and slow-cooked soups, placing the herb back into the heart of the kitchen.

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