Chan Pi

Chan Pi, also known as Chan Tui, is the cast-off nymphal exuvia (slough) of the cicada Cryptotympana atrata Fabricius (Cicadidae), collected in summer and autumn from tree trunks and the soil surface in eastern and southern China. The exuvia is a light, translucent, amber-brown, hollow shell preserving the shape of the late-instar nymph: roughly 3 cm long, with a blunt head bearing prominent compound eye sockets, three pairs of clawed legs, and a longitudinal dorsal split through which the adult emerged. It is brittle, virtually weightless, and has no odor. In TCM, Chan Tui is classified among the cool, acrid surface-releasing herbs, used to dispel wind-heat, vent rashes such as measles, brighten the eyes, and arrest spasms. No CITES restrictions apply.