Bie Jia (Cu)

Carapax Trionycis (Bie Jia) Common Name: Softshell Turtle Shell Source Carapax Trionycis is the dried carapace of Pelodiscus sinensis (Wiegmann) (Family Trionychidae). The turtles are collected throughout the year, with autumn and winter being the preferred seasons. After collection, the animal is killed and scalded in boiling water until the outer keratinized skin of the carapace can be removed. The remaining muscles and connective tissues are thoroughly cleaned away, and the carapace is then sun-dried. Description The carapace is elliptical or oval in shape, measuring approximately 10–15 cm in length and 9–14 cm in width. The outer surface is blackish-brown to dark green, slightly glossy, and covered with fine reticulate wrinkles and grayish-yellow or grayish-white spots. A prominent longitudinal ridge extends along the center, with eight symmetrical transverse depressions on either side. When the outer skin has been removed, serrated sutures are visible. The inner surface is whitish in color, featuring a raised vertebral column along the center. The cervical vertebra curves inward, and eight pairs of ribs extend laterally toward the margins. The texture is hard and rigid. It has a slight fishy or faintly unpleasant odor and a bland taste.