Longevity vegetable boosts economic prospects of county

Situated high in the mountains of Southwest China's Chongqing, Shizhu Tujia autonomous county boasts one of the largest production bases in the world for water shield, a vegetable favored by both Chinese and Japanese for its health properties.

Over the past weekend, a delegation from Japan's Shizuoka prefecture visited the county to know about the growth patterns of the vegetable and China's rural development.

Water shield, or chuncai in Chinese, is an aquatic, perennial herb with floating leaves that grows in ponds, lakes and slow-moving streams. It normally has deep green oval leaves of approximately 6 to 10 centimeters, arranged alternately. They are covered with a gelatinous material and characterized by a unique slimy texture.