Fengdan

Fengdan

Fengdan is a protected geographical indication product.

　　　　The history of Tongling Fengdan dates back a long time.<<乾隆铜陵县志>Historical records state, “The county produces ginger, garlic, ramie, moutan bark, and similar items. Though a few locals engage in trade, most sellers come from distant regions.” This indicates that Fengdan was already well-known and widely sold across various regions at that time. The soil of Tongling Phoenix Mountain is golden-sandy, and the area enjoys a mild climate year-round with abundant rainfall. These conditions contribute to the high quality of "Fengdan," which is characterized by thick roots, fleshy cortex, ample powder, fine woody cores, and excellent preservation over time. Traditional Chinese medicine regards moutan bark as cool and acrid in nature, possessing the functions of cooling blood and removing blood stasis. It is effective in treating conditions such as hematemesis, bloody stools, hematuria, and amenorrhea. According to clinical experience in TCM, moutan bark shows relatively high efficacy in treating gynecological inflammations and appendicitis. The cultivation of Fengdan aims to maintain characteristics close to those of wild varieties — it does not emphasize floral display. The plants are usually luxuriant and graceful in shape, typically semi-double white flowers, some with slight purplish-red hues. In terms of cultivation requirements, preference is given to newly cleared “virgin land” or designated fallow fields; continuous cropping is avoided, and only organic fertilizers are applied. For root bark processing, strict specifications are followed, including grading and packaging, with attention given to ensuring the product has a simple and attractive appearance. Today, Tongling Phoenix Mountain has become a production base for moutan bark, yielding over 100,000 kilograms annually. This not only meets domestic market demand but is also exported to Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, making it an important export product for Tongling.

　　Tongling Fengdan. The peony, belonging to the Ranunculaceae family, is a perennial deciduous shrub. After years of cultivation and propagation, there are now hundreds of varieties, categorized into three main groups: Central Plains peonies, Purple-Spot peonies, and Jiangnan peonies. Tongling peonies fall under the Jiangnan variety group. Their root barks have medicinal properties such as pain relief, fever reduction, anti-allergy, anti-inflammation, and immune support. They are known for their thick roots, fleshy cortex, ample powder, fine woody cores, bright star-like patterns, and excellent preservation over time. Together with white peony root, chrysanthemum, and poria cocos, they are known as one of Anhui’s Four Famous Medicinal Herbs and are also among China’s 34 precious medicinal materials.