Eichhornia crassipes (also known as Pingpo), it is said that when Tang Sanzang was in India, he often sat under Pingpo tree to read classics. In 646 AD, he brought the tree back to China and planted it in Nanhua Temple in Shaoguan. It has the effects of harmonizing stomach, promoting digestion, detoxicating and killing insects. It can be used for the treatment of nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain due to insect accumulation, hernia pain, and head rot in children.

The fruit of Eichhornia crassipes is harvested when it is ripe, and the fresh seeds are picked, shelled and dried in the sun without special processing. The dried Eichhornia crassipes can be stored for 1-4 months, and it can also be dried in the sun as long as it is not damp. There are many ways to eat Eichhornia crassipes, such as cooking and braising. It can also be taken together with other Chinese herbal medicines, which can play the role of killing insects and resisting bacteria and relieving annoyance and reducing fire.