The copper skin of Panax notoginseng and the iron bone lion head refer to the appearance of Panax notoginseng. The copper skin refers to the color of Panax notoginseng like copper. The iron bone refers to the sound of Panax notoginseng when knocked on the ground or table. The sound quality is the same as that of metal ironware. The lion head refers to the protruding shape on the surface of Panax notoginseng.
The characteristics of Panax notoginseng can be summarized as "nipple bag, nail head, copper skin, iron bone, and chrysanthemum heart". "Milk bag" refers to the knob-like protrusions on and around the top; "nail head" refers to the mark of the cut root at the bottom; "copper skin" refers to the gray-yellow outer skin; "iron bone" refers to the hard texture and difficulty in breaking; "Chrysanthemum" refers to the radiating texture of the cross-section. Those with these five characteristics are genuine Panax notoginseng.
Extended information
Things to note when purchasing Panax notoginseng:
1. Look at the size of Panax notoginseng. The longer Panax notoginseng has been planted, the larger it will be and the better its quality will be. Therefore, the size grade of Panax notoginseng is based on the number of heads per pound. The more heads, the smaller the Panax notoginseng. The fewer the heads, the bigger the Panax notoginseng is. When purchasing Panax notoginseng, if economic conditions permit, you should choose one that is large, solid, and without branches or claws.
2. Look at the color of Panax notoginseng. The appearance of good Panax notoginseng is the natural color of Panax notoginseng (khaki). It has been cleaned during processing, and the surface is rough without any attachments. The appearance of waxed Panax notoginseng is mostly off-white or gray-black. It is usually brighter and has more attachments. This is due to the addition of paraffin, talcum powder and other substances when polishing Panax notoginseng.
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