Tree barks and root barksHeat-clearingCortex Moutan

Mu Dan Pi (Moutan Bark / Tree Peony Bark)

A practical guide to Mu Dan Pi: what it is, how Traditional Chinese Medicine uses it, the classical formulas it appears in, and who should be careful with it.

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Last reviewed Oct 13, 2026

Quick Facts

Latin NameCortex Moutan
Chinese Name & Pinyin 牡丹皮 · Mu Dan Pi
Medicinal PartTree barks and root barks
The herbMu Dan Pi is the dried root bark of tree peony. The cut face is powdery-white and aromatic. Bai Shao and Chi Shao are peony roots, not this bark. Common forms: raw, dry-fried, and charred.
Nature and channelsBitter, acrid, slightly cold. Enters the Heart, Liver, and Kidney. Bitterness clears heat. Acridity dispels stasis and vents heat.
Pharmacopoeia lineClears heat and cools the blood. Invigorates blood and dispels stasis. Used for heat entering the nutritive and blood levels, warm-toxin macules, vomiting or nosebleed, night fever that cools by morning, steaming bone without sweat, amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea, trauma pain, and sores.
Pattern cuesNight fever that cools in the morning. Steaming bone. Macules and bleeding from heat. Clotted painful periods. Red or crimson tongue.
In this articleMu Dan Pi versus Chi Shao, Bai Shao, and Sheng Di Huang. Raw versus charred. Why blood deficiency and pregnancy are cautions. Who should skip it.

What Is Mu Dan Pi?

Mu Dan Pi (牡丹皮; Mǔ Dān Pí; Latin: Moutan Cortex; English: moutan bark / tree peony root bark) is the dried root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa Andr. In Chinese medicine it is a heat-clearing, blood-cooling herb. It is bitter, acrid, and slightly cold, enters the Heart, Liver, and Kidney channels, and its core actions are to clear heat and cool the blood, and to invigorate blood and dispel stasis. The official drug is the root bark, not the garden tree-peony flower. It is not Bai Shao, which nourishes blood, constrains yin, and softens the Liver. It is not Chi Shao, which cools blood and dispels stasis with more emphasis on excess-heat static pain. Mu Dan Pi is aromatic and vents. It is better at clearing latent fire in the blood and at steaming bone heat without sweat. The Dan Pi in Liu Wei Di Huang Wan is the herb that drains deficiency fire from Liver and Kidney.

It is used most often for three patterns:

  • Reckless hot blood / warm-toxin macules — vomiting or nosebleed, dark purple spots, fever worse at night
  • Yin-deficiency steaming bone — fever at night that cools in the morning, steaming bone without sweat
  • Blood stasis — amenorrhea, painful periods, trauma pain, sores

Raw Mu Dan Pi more strongly cools the blood and vents latent heat in the yin aspect. Dry-fried or charred Mu Dan Pi is less cold and dispersing, and leans toward stopping bleeding. The usual decoction dose is 6–12 g. Blood deficiency without stasis, heavy periods, a cold weak spleen, and pregnancy are cautions. Bitter, acrid, and slightly cold, it is not a daily “peony flower tea.”

When blood-heat or yin-deficiency fire is active, night fever, macules, and clotted cramps are common. Mu Dan Pi is bitter, acrid, and slightly cold. It clears, vents, and disperses, which is why it appears in Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang and Liu Wei Di Huang Wan. It clears and disperses more than it tonifies. A pale face, scant menses, and a pale tongue with no heat become weaker if more cooling is added.

Mu Dan Pi is not a catch-all cooling or menstrual herb. In blood deficiency with cold, or when there is no heat and no stasis, using it alone can consume and stir blood. Raw or charred should be decided by a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner after pattern diagnosis.

Mu Dan Pi Moutan Bark

Mu Dan Pi: Materia Medica Profile

Identification & Quality Standard

Cortex Moutan

Botanical Origin

The dried root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.(Ranunculaceae)

Production Regions

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Anhui, Henan, Shandong.

Quality Requirements

Superior medicinal material is thick, long, with thick skin, without woody center, pink-white fractured surface, powdery, numerous ‘bright silver star’, with potent aroma.

Macroscopic Features

Tube-shaped or partially tube-shaped, with a longitudinally cut open fissure, slightly curled inward or opened, 5~20cm long, 0.5~1.2cm diameter, 0.1~0.4cm thick. Yuan dan pi is externally grayish-brown or yellowish-brown, with numerous horizontal lenticels and thin root scars; pink where the cork has fallen off; gua dan pi (fen dan pi) is pink-red or pale red. Inner surface is pale grayish-yellow or pale brown, with obvious thin longitudinal lines, often with shiny crystals (needle-like or column-like crystals of paeonol). Hard and brittle texture, easily broken. Fractured surface is relatively flat, pale pink-red, powdery, indistinct pattern. Aromatic odor, slightly bitter and astringent taste, numbing to the tongue.

Authentic Producing Areas and Quality Identification

Traditionally, high-quality bark comes from areas like Tongling in Anhui, Heze in Shandong, and Luoyang in Henan. However, actual quality depends on harvesting and processing methods.

  • Appearance: Premium Mu Dan Pi (Tree Peony Root Bark) appears as tubular pieces. The outer surface is grayish-brown, while the inner surface is light grayish-yellow with fine longitudinal lines and often features bright, naturally occurring crystals.
  • Texture and Scent: It is hard but brittle, snapping easily to reveal a pinkish-white cross-section. It has a distinct, special fragrance and a slightly bitter, astringent taste.
  • Adulterants: It is sometimes confused with Shao Yao Gen Pi (Herbaceous Peony Root Bark), which has a whiter cross-section, a much fainter scent, and a sourer taste.

Traditional Properties & Historical Lineage

Nature, Flavour & Channel Tropism

Bitter, Acrid; Slightly coldHeartLiverKidney

1. Historical Records in Herbal Texts

Mu Dan Pi (Tree Peony Root Bark) has been highly regarded in classic TCM literature:

  • Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing: Categorized it as a mid-grade herb, noting its ability to clear heat, relieve spasms, and break up stagnant blood in the intestines.
  • Ben Cao Gang Mu: Highlighted its ability to harmonize and cool the blood, specifically targeting "hidden fire" in the blood.
  • De Pei Ben Cao: Pointed out that while it is excellent for clearing hidden fire and unblocking meridians, its cold nature means it should not be used alone for people with a weak, cold digestive system.

2. Evolution of Pharmacological Understanding

Over time, the TCM understanding of Mu Dan Pi (Tree Peony Root Bark) has evolved. Early texts focused on its ability to treat external pathogens and digestive blockages. Later practitioners emphasized its deep action in the "blood level," using it primarily for internal heat and blood stagnation (such as menstrual issues or chronic low-grade fevers). Modern practitioners carefully balance its use, ensuring it is not given to patients with a "cold" constitution or a weak Spleen and Stomach unless properly paired with warming herbs.

Mu Dan Pi Moutan Bark

Core Efficacies & Traditional Applications

Traditional Functions

Clears heat, cools blood, invigorates blood, disperses stasis. Apply to Heat entering into blood circulation, eruptions, non-traumatic hemorrhage and hemafecia, fever due to heat hidden in yin of later stage of febrile diseases, yin deficiency and bone steaming and hot flash, blood stagnation and abdominal mass, dysmenorrheal, abscess and sore swelling pain, injuries due to falls and toil, wind-damp heat impediment.

1. Primary Focus: Clearing Heat and Cooling Blood

Mu Dan Pi (Tree Peony Root Bark) is a premier herb for clearing "Heat" pathogens from the blood level.

  • Common Indications: It is traditionally used to relieve fever, skin rashes (purpura), nosebleeds, and deep-seated "hidden heat" like night fevers or hot palms and soles.
  • Common Pairings: To enhance its cooling effects, it is often paired with Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia Root). For heat mixed with blood stasis, it is combined with Tao Ren (Peach Seed).
  • Safety Note: If you have a weak, cold digestive system (e.g., you easily get an upset stomach or feel cold), avoid using this on your own so you don't worsen those symptoms.

2. Secondary Focus: Invigorating Blood and Resolving Stasis

This herb is also excellent at breaking up stagnant blood and improving circulation.

  • Common Indications: It is used for menstrual issues like amenorrhea, painful periods with dark clots, postpartum abdominal pain, and physical trauma like bruises or swelling.
  • Common Pairings: For gynecological issues, it pairs well with Dang Gui (Angelica Root).
  • Safety Note: Pregnant women or those with heavy menstrual bleeding should not use this herb casually.

3. Common Herb Pairings: The Synergistic Duo

  • Mu Dan Pi and Sheng Di Huang: Mu Dan Pi (Tree Peony Root Bark) clears hidden fire and resolves stasis, while Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia Root) cools blood and nourishes Yin. Together, they are perfect for post-fever dryness and lingering heat.
  • Mu Dan Pi and Tao Ren: Tao Ren (Peach Seed) strongly breaks up stasis. Combined, they are a powerful duo for menstrual or postpartum pain caused by heat and blocked blood flow. Both pairings require a practitioner's guidance.
Mu Dan Pi Moutan Bark

Modern Research

Modern research offers useful context, but Traditional Chinese Medicine prescribes on whole-pattern diagnosis rather than isolated compounds.

1. Main Chemical Components

Modern science has identified several active compounds in Mu Dan Pi (Tree Peony Root Bark), including phenols (most notably paeonol), terpenes, flavonoids, and polysaccharides.

  • Lab Studies: In vitro studies show that paeonol has anti-inflammatory properties at the cellular level.
  • Animal Studies: Extracts have been shown to reduce inflammatory responses and lower heat-related markers in animal models.
  • Clinical Gap: While these lab results are promising, there is currently a lack of large-scale human clinical trials to confirm these exact direct effects on the human body.

2. Modern Pharmacological Research Directions

Western scientific research on this herb mostly focuses on:

  • Anti-inflammatory and immune-regulating effects.
  • Improving microcirculation and blood rheology (how blood flows).
  • Most of these studies remain in the foundational or experimental stages.

3. Limitations of Modern Research

When applying modern science to traditional herbs, there are notable limitations:

  • Lab vs. Real World: Results from test tubes and animal models cannot be directly applied to complex human physiology.
  • Whole Herb vs. Extracts: TCM utilizes the complex synergy of the whole Mu Dan Pi (Tree Peony Root Bark), whereas modern research often isolates single compounds (like paeonol), which can act very differently.
  • Inconsistent Standards: Variations in plant origin, harvest time, and extraction methods across different studies make it difficult to draw unified conclusions.
Mu Dan Pi Moutan Bark

Comparing Similar Herbs

1. Shared Traits with Similar Herbs

Mu Dan Pi (Tree Peony Root Bark) is frequently compared to Chi Shao (Red Peony Root).

  • Both are excellent at clearing heat, cooling blood, and moving stagnant blood.
  • Both treat feverish rashes, menstrual pain, and physical trauma.
  • Both must be used cautiously by people with a cold digestive system.

2. Core Differences

  • Properties: Mu Dan Pi is slightly cold and spicy (helping to disperse). Chi Shao is much colder and more bitter (stronger at draining).
  • Focus of Action: Mu Dan Pi excels at clearing "hidden" heat in the blood, such as night fevers. Chi Shao is better at aggressively breaking up severe blood stasis and stopping sharp pain.
  • Clinical Selection: Choose Mu Dan Pi for mild stasis with signs of systemic heat or night sweats. Choose Chi Shao for heavy bruising, severe menstrual pain, or intense, localized swelling.

3. A One-Sentence Summary

Mu Dan Pi (Tree Peony Root Bark) is your go-to for gently clearing hidden blood heat and mild stasis, while Chi Shao (Red Peony Root) is the stronger choice for breaking up stubborn stasis and relieving severe pain.

Mu Dan Pi Moutan Bark

Classical Formulas Containing Mu Dan Pi

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Formulas vs. Single Herbs

  • Synergy is Key: A formula is a balanced team. The healing power comes from how the herbs interact, so a single herb cannot simply replicate a full formula's effects.
  • Holistic Balance: The exact dosage and combination in a formula affect the entire body. Never try to mix or alter these formulas at home based on internet articles.

Diet & Daily Home Use

1. Home Herbal Teas

  • Mu Dan Pi and Chrysanthemum Drink:
    • Ingredients: 3g Mu Dan Pi (Tree Peony Root Bark), 2g Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum Flower).
    • Method: Rinse, steep in boiling water, and cover for 10 minutes.
    • Best For: Mild blood heat causing dry mouth, red eyes, or slightly warm hands and feet.
    • Frequency: Limit to 3 cups a week. Not for those with frequent loose stools.
  • Mu Dan Pi and Rose Tea:
    • Ingredients: 2g Mu Dan Pi (Tree Peony Root Bark), 1g Mei Gui Hua (Rose Flower).
    • Method: Steep in boiling water.
    • Best For: Mild menstrual cramping with dark clots or mood swings. Limit to 2-3 times a week.

2. Processing Differences and Brewing

  • Raw vs. Wine-Processed: The raw herb is better for cooling heat, while the wine-processed version is better for moving blood and resolving stasis.
  • Brewing: For home decoctions, just soak the raw herb in water for 30 minutes, bring it to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes. No special cooking steps are required.

3. Dosage and Usage Cycle

  • Dosage: Clinical doses range from 6g to 12g. For home wellness teas, use much smaller amounts (2g to 3g).
  • Cycle: Do not use this as a daily, long-term supplement. Use it for 1 to 2 weeks maximum. If symptoms persist, consult a professional.
Mu Dan Pi Moutan Bark

Contraindications & Safety Warnings

1. Who Should Avoid It

  • Cold Constitutions: If you have a weak stomach, often feel cold, or have frequent diarrhea, avoid this herb.
  • Special Populations: Pregnant and nursing women must exercise extreme caution. Children and seniors should only use it under a doctor's supervision.
  • Allergies: Do not use if you are allergic to plants in the Ranunculaceae (buttercup) family.

2. Drug Interactions and Dietary Notes

  • Medication Interactions: Because it promotes blood circulation, it may interact with blood thinners, blood pressure medications, or diabetes treatments. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist first.
  • Dietary Rule: Avoid blindly mixing this herb with other supplements unless guided by a professional.

3. Adverse Reactions and Overdose Risks

  • Digestive Upset: Taking too much can cause bloating, nausea, or loose stools.
  • When to Seek Help: If you experience allergic reactions (like a rash or breathing trouble), persistent vomiting, or a sudden worsening of your condition, stop taking it immediately and seek emergency medical care.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mu Dan Pi

What is Mu Dan Pi? Are Lian Dan Pi, Gua Dan Pi, Dan Pi Tan, Chi Shao and Bai Shao the same?
Official Mu Dan Pi (牡丹皮) is the dried root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa. The pharmacopoeial name is Moutan Cortex, also called Dan Pi. Lian Dan Pi keeps the cork; Gua Dan Pi has the cork scraped—one monograph. Anhui Tongling Feng Dan Pi is the prized provenance name. Dan Pi Tan is charred to retain nature, leaning to astringe and stop bleeding. Chi Shao is peony or Sichuan peony root: clears heat, cools Blood, disperses stasis and stops pain. Bai Shao is peony root: nourishes Blood, softens the Liver and constrains Yin. Do not swap in ornamental tree-peony petals or an equal weight of Bai Shao. Write Mu Dan Pi, Dan Pi or Dan Pi Tan.
What are the TCM properties and traditional uses of Mu Dan Pi?
According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Mu Dan Pi is bitter, acrid and slightly cold, enters the Heart, Liver and Kidney channels, and acts to clear heat and cool the Blood, and invigorate Blood to transform stasis. It is used for heat entering the nutritive and Blood aspects, warm-toxin macular eruption, hematemesis and epistaxis, night heat with morning coolness, steaming bone without sweat, amenorrhea and painful menstruation, traumatic pain, and sores and toxins. Bitter-cold entering Blood yet acrid-dispersing—suited to Blood heat with stasis and latent heat in the Yin aspect, not to Blood deficiency with cold, heavy menses without stasis, or pregnancy.
How do you choose raw, wine-fried and charred Mu Dan Pi? Is a special decoction needed?
Clear heat, cool Blood and vent Yin-aspect heat with raw Mu Dan Pi; move Blood and disperse stasis with wine-fried; Blood-heat reckless movement that also needs stopping bleeding with Dan Pi Tan. Thin slices go in the pot; it contains paeonol and should not be boiled to exhaustion. It cooks with the other herbs; first- or late-decoction is not required.
What is the usual dosage? Can it be steeped daily to clear Blood heat?
The pharmacopoeial decoction dose is 6–12 g. Blood-heat macules and steaming bone may enter a short formula, not a four-season “Blood-clearing tea.” Blood deficiency with aversion to cold and heavy menses grow more cooling and dispersing. Yin-deficiency steaming bone needs a practitioner to name raw use and partners—not a self-made long drink.
What are the contraindications? Can it be used in pregnancy?
Use caution in pregnancy; avoid in Blood deficiency with cold and in heavy menses without stasis. Slightly cold and Blood-moving, it can disturb the fetus and increase menstrual flow. Use caution in Spleen-Stomach deficient cold and in spontaneous sweating that leaks fluid. Stop if cold epigastrium, loose stool or heavier bleeding appears.
Can Mu Dan Pi cool Blood, recede steaming bone, transform stasis and disperse welling-abscess?
It can help. Heat entering nutritive-Blood with macules and bleeding joins raw Rehmannia, red peony and water buffalo horn in Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang-type formulas. Kidney-Yin deficiency with steaming bone joins prepared Rehmannia, cornus and Alisma in Liu Wei Di Huang Wan. Intestinal welling-abscess joins rhubarb, peach kernel and wax-gourd seed in Da Huang Mu Dan Tang. It clears Blood-aspect heat while dispersing stasis—not a specific for every fever, every dysmenorrhea or every appendicitis. High fever with spirit clouding and acute abdomen are emergencies.
Can Mu Dan Pi be drunk daily as a whitening, menstrual-regulating or fire-descending tea?
Blood heat with stasis may enter a short formula; deficient cold without heat only grows colder. “Moutan whitens and regulates menses” does not replace dermatology and gynecology. Patent Liu Wei Di Huang Wan also needs Yin deficiency with heat—not Spleen-deficient loose stool. Cooling Blood and transforming stasis should name raw, wine-fried or charred and a dose.
How do you choose among Mu Dan Pi, Chi Shao, Sheng Di, Di Gu Pi and Bai Shao?
Moutan is bitter-acrid and slightly cold: clears heat, cools Blood, also moves Blood to disperse stasis, and vents latent heat in the Yin aspect. Red peony is bitter and slightly cold: clears heat, cools Blood, disperses stasis and stops pain—leaning to excess heat with stasis pain. Raw Rehmannia is sweet-bitter-cold: clears heat, cools Blood and nourishes Yin to generate fluid—more dedicated to enriching Yin. Lycium root bark is sweet-cold: cools Blood, eliminates steaming and clears the Lung to downbear fire—steaming bone without sweat and Lung heat favor it. White peony is bitter-sour and slightly cold: nourishes Blood, softens the Liver and constrains Yin to stop sweat—it does not break stasis. Blood heat with stasis favors Mu Dan Pi; pure Blood heat favors Sheng Di and Chi Shao; deficient-heat steaming bone favors Mu Dan Pi and Di Gu Pi; Blood deficiency with contracture favors Bai Shao. They may be paired; all are wrong as pure cooling-dispersing when deficient cold without heat is already present.
Which herbs is Mu Dan Pi combined with? What are the representative formulas?
Heat entering nutritive-Blood joins raw Rehmannia, red peony and water buffalo horn in Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang. Liver-Kidney Yin deficiency joins prepared Rehmannia, Dioscorea, cornus, Poria and Alisma in Liu Wei Di Huang Wan. Intestinal welling-abscess joins rhubarb, mirabilite, peach kernel and wax-gourd seed in Da Huang Mu Dan Tang. Write raw Mu Dan Pi, wine-fried or Dan Pi Tan.
How do you choose and store Mu Dan Pi?
Choose tubular or half-tubular bark with a pink powdery fracture, bright crystals on the inner surface, an aromatic odor and a slightly bitter-astringent taste. Lots with the wood core left in, mold, damp and a lost aroma are inferior. Feng Dan Pi is the prized name. Store cool and dry. Buy pharmacopoeial Mu Dan Pi slices; do not replace them with Bai Shao, Chi Shao or ornamental tree-peony root.

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Medical Disclaimer — This article is provided for educational purposes only and describes traditional Chinese medicine concepts. It is not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using any herb, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a diagnosed condition.

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Mu Dan Pi (Moutan Bark): Clear Heat, Cool the Blood, and Invigorate Blood