Qibian Gui: It is in the shape of a long flaky groove, the left and right sides curl inward, and the curling edge is semi-cylindrical. The center of the groove is slightly raised, and the outer skin is concave. It is about 43cm long and 4-6cm wide. Brown, with a 5mm slant of cork peeled off at each end, which is brown. The whole has irregular transverse lenticels and numerous microprotruding nodules. Occasionally, there are slightly raised horizontal stripes and gray-green patterns (the traces left by bryophytes after they grow, commonly known as colored skin). The inner surface is dark reddish brown or brown, smooth, and dark brown oil marks can be seen when scratched with a fingernail. The gas is fragrant and strong, and the taste is sweet and spicy.
Bangui: plate-shaped, with slightly inward bending on both sides, 43cm long, 13-15cm wide, 0.6cm thick, rough outer skin, gray-brown; dark purple inner skin, brown oil layer on the cross-section, brown-red outer layer, generally less oil and more slag , the aroma and sweet and spicy taste are lighter.
Osmanthus oleifera: It is in the shape of a half bamboo tube, with slightly sloped sides at both ends, 43cm long, gray-brown or brown in appearance, often with gray-green mottling (color skin), dark brown in the inner skin, hard and brittle, inside the cross-section The oil layer is concentrated and distinct, slightly shiny, black or tan, the outer layer is purple, with a strong smell and sweet and pungent taste.
Guitong: It is double-cylindrical or cylindrical, 35cm long, 0.1-0.3cm thick, gray-brown in appearance, with fine wrinkles and small cracks, oval lenticels, and occasionally raised horizontal lines and gray patterns. Inner epidermis dark brown. Hard and brittle, purple-red or brown-red section, fragrant, sweet and spicy. Also known as "cinnamon bark" and "guiertong".
Guixin: The shape is the same as Guitong, except that the outer cork layer has been scraped off, and the inner and outer skins are brownish yellow.
Cinnamon Broken: Irregular in size, block or short roll, the outer skin is gray-brown, the cross-section and inner skin are brown or tan, fragrant, sweet and spicy.
Among the cinnamon products, there are cinnamon made from old cinnamon bark that cannot be made into Qibiangui or Bangui, which are mostly irregular pieces with different sizes, about 0.4-0.8cm thick, thick and rough skin, and slightly twisted. Less oil, more chewing residue, slightly spicy taste.
Imported cinnamon is often called Annan cinnamon, and domestic cinnamon is often called Xiyugui, so they are respectively called Anqibiangui, Anbangui, Anguinan; Xiqibiangui, Xibangui, and Xiguinan. The main differences between imported cinnamon and domestic cinnamon are: imported cinnamon is usually thicker than the corresponding domestic cinnamon, and the aroma is stronger; the inner surface of imported cinnamon is darker, brown to tan (domestic cinnamon is brownish red or purple) and has fine longitudinal grains , smooth (domestic cinnamon is not flat); imported cinnamon is usually thinner than the corresponding domestic cinnamon, and the "color skin" is obvious;
Among imported cinnamon, there are high mountain cinnamon and low mountain cinnamon; it is said that high mountain cinnamon is a wild product and low mountain cinnamon is a cultivated product. The differences between the two are as follows:
Alpine cinnamon: The surface of the outer skin is finely wrinkled, the "color skin" is obvious, the skin is thick, heavy, the leukocyte ring is not obvious on the cross-section, and the inner surface is fine and smooth. The oil content is high, the aroma is strong, the spicy taste is light and the sweet taste is thick. The best one is commonly known as "green water clearing cinnamon", brewed with boiling water, the water is clear and green (some people think that green water is processed).
Low mountain cinnamon: rough appearance, thin skin, light body, obvious stone cell rings on the cross-section, and slightly rough inner surface. Taiwan has less volatile oil, poor aroma, light sweetness and strong spicy taste.
The top grade of imported cinnamon has a smooth inner skin like jade. It is also the most famous produced in Qinghua, Beiqi, Vietnam, so it is called "Qinghua Yugui".
Among domestic cinnamon, transplanted products similar to imported cinnamon have appeared in Xinyi, Guangdong and some areas of Guangxi since the 1980s, and the products are collectively called "Southern cinnamon". The quality is close to imported cinnamon.