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Water shield
Water shield is a float grass in nymphaeaceae family. It was approved as the National Level I Key Protected Wild Plant by the State Council in 1999. They can be found easily in swamps and pools in southern parts of Yellow River, especially Taihu Lake Valley in Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province. Its fresh leaf under the water is eatable and is a special local dish. There is a saying Water Shield and Blue Pickerel are delicious in ancient times. It is said that on the Voyage of Emperor Qian Long in Qing Dynasty, each time, when he arrived in Hangzhou, water shield soup must be on his dinner table and he also assigned the person to send it to the palace periodically. It is fresh and smooth. When used to cook soup, it is always deemed as a precious dish on the banquet because of its strong fragrance.