Does the gourd have any special meaning?

Gourds were one of the first plants cultivated by humans as containers. It is thought to have originated in Africa, with gourds being cultivated for thousands of years in what is now Mexico, Peru and Thailand. In Egypt gourds were used as burial objects. The earliest gourd skins unearthed at archaeological sites in Henan, China, date from seven to eight thousand years ago. The gourd seeds found in the Hemudu Cultural Site are also 7,000 years old. Some scholars suspect that there is already a word for gourd (卣) in the oracle bone inscriptions. China first called gourds gourds, gourds and pots. Gourds are mentioned in both "The Book of Songs" and "The Analects of Confucius". An example is "Melons are eaten in the seventh month and pots are broken in the eighth month" in "The Book of Songs·Binfeng·July".

In ancient China, gourds had many names, the first of which appeared in oracle bone inscriptions. This type of writing is found in the oracle bone inscriptions unearthed in Anyang, Henan Province. Ancient writing scholars pointed out that this is the word "pot", and some experts pointed out that it is also the word "gourd". In addition to the name of oracle bone inscriptions that needs further research, gourd is the earliest in ancient Chinese books. These three words, namely gourd, gourd and teapot, can all be found in the Book of Songs. Beifeng says: "The gourd has bitter leaves, and the rice has deep roots"; "Weifeng" says: "The teeth are like gourds and rhinoceros." "Youfeng" says: "Melons are eaten in July and pots are broken in August"; "Xiaoya" says: "There are trees in the south, and the sweet gourds are tired." Among them, "叏", "皠", "pot" and "ganhu" all refer to gourds. The first two characters were roughly the same in ancient times.

Hulu ("Rihuazi Materia Medica"), gourd ("Book of Songs"), gourd ("The Analects of Confucius"), pot ("He Guanzi"), gourd ("Shuowen") , Tianhuzu ("Tang Materia Medica"), Yaozhou ("Heguanzi" Lu Dian's note), Hugao ("Southern Yunnan Materia Medica"), Cugu ("Qunfang Pu"), Hulugua ("Materia Medica Qiuyuan") "), gourd ("New Ginseng in Drinking Pieces").

Gou, Cui Gu ("Er Zhi,"), Tu Gua ("Ben Jing"), Hail Gua ("Sheng Hui Fang"), Lao Ya Gu ("Compendium of Materia Medica"), wild melon, Ma Hail ("Danxi Compendium"), Ma Pao'er ("Introduction to Medicine"), Ma Gua, Gong Gongxu ("Compendium"), Du Gua, Pigeon Egg Gua ("Fujian Folk Herbal Medicine"), Diao Gua ("Zhejiang Traditional Chinese Medicine Manual"), winter melon, water melon ("Eastern Fujian Materia Medica"), bitter melon lotus, Xiaokudou ("Jiangxi Folk Herbal Prescriptions").

Li Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty's "Compendium of Materia Medica·Cai San·Hulu": "Changhu, Xuanhu, Hulu, Gaobao, Pulu, the names are different, but they are actually one type with different colors."

"The Analects of Confucius·Yang Huo": "How can I eat melons? How can I tie them without eating them?" Later, it was used as a metaphor for people who have not obtained official positions or have done nothing. Wang Can of the Han Dynasty wrote in "Ode to Climbing a Tower": "Afraid of people hanging melons hanging, afraid of wells, don't eat them." Wang Anshi of the Song Dynasty "Visiting Han Chiguo" poem: "The rest of my life is not about melons, and I have nothing to seek in this world." Shen Whale of the Ming Dynasty "Two Pearls: Encountering Friends at Yuanmen": "Brother Sun is a hero in the world, not a melon, he can act when the opportunity arises, so there is no need to worry about it."

It is a metaphor for a man who is alone without a partner.

"Selected Works·Cao Zhilt; Luo Shen Fu": "Sighing the incomparable beauty of the melons, chanting the solitude of the morning glory." Li Shan noted: "Ruan Yu's "Ode to Stop Desire" said:' It is said that the "Gourd" has no partner, but the Weaver Girl is alone and diligent. "But the meaning is incomparable, and the origin is not specified." Zhang Xian's note: "The name of the star is alone in the east of Hegu, so it means nothing." "Mei Dingzuo of the Ming Dynasty" "Yuhe Ji·Huaichun": "Although I sometimes chant "Yao Tao", I lament that the melons will eventually be unmatched."

The ancients tied the gourd around their waists for use. Crossing water is called "waist boat".

"Book of Jin: Biography of Cai Mo": "﹝ Mo﹞ is extremely cautious by nature, and must be careful about everything. Therefore, people at that time said: 'When Cai Gong passed the floating boat, he took off his waist boat.' "He Guanzi·Xuewen": "A boat is lost in the middle of the river, a pot worth a thousand gold." Lu Dian of the Song Dynasty explained: "The pot is also a gourd, and the southerners call it a waist boat." The gourd is very similar. , palace, which is probably related to the birth, reproduction, worship and worship at that time.

"Shuowen" says: Gourd, gourd. "Guangya" says: "Guohu". "Erya" says: Huqi petal. "Mao Shi" says: The gourd has bitter leaves. "Zhuan" says: "The gourd is called the gourd, and the pot is broken in the ninth month." "Biography" says: Pot and gourd. An ancient and modern annotation says: Hu, Hu Lu, Hu Lu, Hu Lu, the one without a handle, Hu, the one with a handle. Another saying goes: Ladle gourd is also called gourd, and gourd is another name.

"Guo Feng·Wei Feng·Shuo Ren": A Shuo man is tall and well-dressed. The son of the Marquis of Qi, the wife of the Marquis of Wei, the sister of the East Palace, the aunt of the Marquis of Xing, and Duke Tan was protecting his own interests. The hands are like catkins and the skin is like gelatin. The collar is like a caterpillar, and the teeth are like rhinoceros. He has a slender head and eyebrows, a charming smile, and beautiful eyes. Ao Ao, a great scholar, talked about it in the countryside. The four males are arrogant, Zhu Kui is on his way out, and Zhai is showing off to the court. The official retired early, leaving the king with no work to do. The river is full of water, and the north current is alive. Shi Jianhao, the hair of the tuna. Jiaqiao is exposed, the common people are evil, and the common people are guilty.

"Zhu Xi's Biography" "Huxi, the son of the gourd, is square and white, and the ratio is neat." Later, because of its whiteness and compactness, the word "huxi" was often used to describe a woman's white and beautiful teeth.

Tang Quan Deyu's "Five Zaxing Poems": "When you look in the mirror with new makeup, you know how to look in the mirror, and your smile always shines."

Showing white teeth)

Tang Quan Deyu's "Miscellaneous Poems" No. 3: "One glance at the waves, and a thousand pieces of gold are like gourd rhinoceros."

Yuan Sadula's "Inscribed on Concubine Yang's Disease" "Teeth" poem: "A bit of spring acid enters the gourd rhinoceros, and the snow-colored crocodile silk wets the fragrant saliva."

Qing Pu Songling's "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio: Chang'e": "The cherry lips are half open, and the gourd rhinoceros is slightly exposed." "

"The Tale of Genji Chapter 4: Sunset" Just like the grass growing next to the wall, the plants are green and lovely; the white flowers in the green grass are so white that they flutter in the wind. Prince Genji couldn't help chanting: "The unknown flower is so delicate!" But he heard the attendant report: "This white flower is called Xiyan. This kind of flower that looks like a person's name usually blooms at the root of such a dirty wall."

"He Guanzi·Xuewen": The boat lost in the middle of the river, a pot of thousands of gold. Nobility is impermanent, time and circumstances dictate.

Because there are many varieties of gourds, this is a classification method used by the ancients. For example, Lu Dian's "Bei Ya" believes: "The long ones are like sun gourds in the Tang Dynasty, the short necks and big bellies are called gourds", and "the gourd-like and round ones are called teapots". What he means is that gourd, gourd and pot are the names of three kinds of gourds, and their differences are mainly reflected in their appearance. The gourd refers to the gourd used as a vegetable today, which is thin and long, like a loofah; the gourd refers to the gourd used by farmers to make water ladles; the pot refers to the oblate gourd. However, the classification of the ancients was not uniform. Li Shizhen explained the meaning of gourd and pot, which is exactly the opposite of Lu Dian, that is, gourd is an oblate gourd, and pot is a gourd. Cui Bao believed in "Annotations to Ancient and Modern Times" that gourd, gourd, gourd, gourd, etc. are not the difference between species, but the difference between species. He believes that "gourd" is the general name for all gourds, and gourds, gourds, gourds, and xuan gourds are all gourds, but their shapes are different.

The ancients believed that the properties and uses of gourds were different, so the names were also different. Some people think that in terms of its quality, gourds can be divided into sweet and bitter. The sweet ones are called "Gourd", also known as "Gan Hu"; the bitter ones are called "Gourd", also called "Kugao". As for the "tea wine pot" and "medicine pot Lu", they are both named in the "Compendium of Materia Medica" because of their uses.

This is caused by the homophones used by the ancients. Gourds not only have a long history of cultivation, but are also widely distributed around the world. Calculated from the era recorded in the Book of Songs, gourd cultivation in China has a history of more than 2,000 years. After "The Book of Songs", there are more documents recording gourds. According to statistics from the Qing Dynasty's "Collection of Ancient and Modern Books", there are nearly a hundred ancient books (articles) mentioning gourds. In these books, some describe how to grow gourds, some write about the edible, medicinal and daily utensil value of gourds, some have poems and essays praising gourds, and there are also a large number of myths and legends about gourds.

In "Yao Dian", there is a saying that Gu is one of the eight tones. The gourd sheng was first recorded in the "Book of Rites and Music" of the Han Dynasty: "There is a gourd sheng." Later, Cui Bao of Jin Dynasty mentioned it again in "Ancient and Modern Notes": "The gourd with a handle can be used as a sheng, and the one with a curved and fertile shape is especially good. "Qiu Naike can be made, and harmony can be painted inside." This sentence means that long-handled gourds can be processed into sheng, and among them, Quwo's ​​gourds are the best. In addition to reed instruments such as the sheng and yu, the gourd can also be used as a sound box for stringed or plucked instruments.

Gourds can also be used to make pigeon whistles. There are many kinds of gourds with different preparation methods.

Gourds are used as containers in all areas where gourds are produced. Lignified gourds can be used to hold water, wine, cups, and kettles. The fruit is called "卺" after being cut open. According to the traditional custom, newlyweds must use a pair of 卺 to offer wine during the ceremony, so the wedding is also called "合卺".

As a daily utensil, gourds have many uses. The opening of the gourd is made into various shapes of utensils. The most common ones are kettles or hip flasks used to hold water or wine. They can also be used to ladle water, wash rice, ladle noodles, hold things, etc. In ancient times, gourds were also used to hold medicines. It is indeed better to store medicines than other containers such as iron boxes, clay pots, wooden boxes, etc. Because it has strong sealing properties, moisture cannot easily enter, and it is easy to keep medicines dry. Will not cause damage or deterioration. In addition, gourds can also be made into boats, agricultural tools, and even firearms for use in war.

Taoism believes that gourds can condense Qi, so they use gourds to hold elixirs. In Taoism, gourds have gone beyond ordinary containers and have the function of magical instruments.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that gourd has the effect of diuresis and reducing swelling ("Shen Nong's Materia Medica"), and "Shanghan Lei Yao" believes that gourd can treat jaundice.

According to the records in "Bai Hu Tong", the Sheng was originally made of gourds (Hu said Sheng). Liu Xun of the Tang Dynasty also wrote: "People in Jiaozhi often take old gourds without handles, cut them into pieces, put thirteen reeds on them, and blow them, the sound will be clear and resonant, and the rhythm will be elegant and harmonious." "Yao Dian" has "Gold, stone, silk, bamboo, etc." Earth leather wood". To this day, musical instruments made from gourds, such as cucurbit flutes, are still used by ethnic minorities in southwest China.

Feng Shui believes that gourds can ward off evil spirits, so gourds are planted around the house.

Wen Yiduo believes that in ancient southern China there was a legend that people came from gourds. He quoted the lyrics from "The Book of Songs·Daya·Mian", "The continuous melons and melons are the birth of the people". In addition, he believed that Fuxi and Nuwa were actually substitutes for gourds. Fuxi, also known as Baoxi, has the same pronunciation with the ancient name of gourd, and Wa has the same pronunciation with melon in ancient times.

Yuan Wangzhen's "Nongshu" said: "It is widely used. The larger ones can be cooked into plain soup, cooked with meat to make meat soup, can be fried in honey before making fruit, and can be cut into strips. Make it dry..." He also said: "The gourd is a thing, it is tired and can be eaten, and it is suitable for cooking. It is the best vegetable." It can be seen that the ancients used gourds as fruits and vegetables, and they were eaten in various ways. , it can be used to make soups and dishes, and it can be pickled and dried. The soup is fragrant and delicious. Different from other fruits, both gourd and its leaves must be eaten when they are tender, otherwise they will lose their edible value when mature.

In addition to holding medicine, gourds can also be used as medicine themselves. Bottle gourd is sweet in taste, smooth in nature and non-toxic. Its vines, whiskers, leaves, flowers, seeds and shells can be used as medicine to treat various diseases. According to ancient medical books, gourd flowers are sweet in taste, neutral in nature, non-toxic, and can be used as a detoxification medicine, especially effective for various fistulas. The medicinal properties of the vines and beards are the same as those of the flowers and can cure sores. The pulp and seeds of gourd are bitter in taste, cold in nature and poisonous. It can treat dental diseases, swollen or exposed gums and loose teeth. It can also treat swelling of the face and limbs, urinary obstruction, nasal congestion, and all carbuncles and malignant sores. In particular, gourd shells have the highest medicinal value. They are sweet in taste, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. They are used to relieve heat and detoxify, moisten the lungs and facilitate bowel movements. The older the gourd shell, the higher the curative effect.

Henan means that the newlyweds drink Hehuan wine together in their new house. It is held after the groom personally welcomes the bride into the house. Originated from ancient times. Originally, a gourd (gourd) was cut into two, and the handles of the two vessels (ladles) were connected with seven to hold wine. The couple drank together, which means that they have become one body from now on, which is called "henu". Later generations used cups instead, which was called "Jiaobeijiu". In the Song Dynasty, there was also a custom of throwing a cup under the bed and tilting it up and down after performing the "Hei Na" ceremony, which represented the harmony of yin and yang and the harmony of yin and yang. It has obvious sexual, symbolic and symbolic meanings. You can also look at the pitch of two cups thrown on the ground to see whether the couple will be harmonious in the future. Some divination meanings were later used as "合卺" to refer to marriage.

"Book of Rites·Hunyi": "When a woman arrives, her son-in-law bows to her to enter, and the sex is fastened while eating, so they are together, the same body, the same dignity and inferiority, and they are close to each other." Kong Yingda Shu: "Those who eat while having sex in prison eat the same animal, and they are not different animals... If they are combined with the 卺, they are not different in rank. Combining the 卺 has the meaning of unity. The combination of the **** has the meaning of the same dignity and inferiority. If the body is combined, it means respect. If you have the same dignity and the same dignity, you will be close to each other but not separated." Song Meng Yuanlao's "Tokyo Menghua Lu: Marrying a Wife": "Drinking from each other is called drinking. The lamp is placed under the bed with a flower crown. When the lamp is raised and closed, it means good luck, and everyone is happy and congratulatory, and then the tent is closed.

For example, the widely circulated story of "Treasure Gourd" tells that the protagonist of the story has a treasure gourd and can have whatever he wants. This shows the yearning of poor people in the past for a better life, and the way to satisfy their desires was to obtain the treasure gourd.

In ancient times, married couples went into the bridal chamber to drink the "Henan" wine, which is a gourd, which means that the couple's souls can reunite after a hundred years. Therefore, the ancients regarded the gourd as a mascot to seek good luck, protect themselves, and ward off evil spirits. The relationship between gourd and immortality is very close. Legendary mythological figures such as Mr. Tieguai, Yin Xi, An Qisheng and Fei Changfang in "The Immortals" were always associated with gourds, so that gourds later became one of the symbols of immortality.

Since "gourd" has the same pronunciation as "Fu Lu", it is also a symbol of wealth and represents longevity and good fortune. Folks use colorful gourds as ornaments, which is based on this concept.

In addition, because the gourd has long vines and abundant fruit, it is also regarded as a mascot to pray for generations of descendants. There are many themes about gourds in ancient auspicious patterns, such as "descendants for generations" and "for generations." " wait.

Some houses hang gourds under the roof beams, which they call "top beams." It is said that after taking this measure, their homes will be safer and smoother; more sophisticated people will tie them with red strings. Five gourds are called "Five Blessings". In the countryside of Taiwan, there is a popular proverb: "A gourd in the house will make the family rich." This means that if you put a gourd in your home, you will get rich.

Jishui, which means "Ji", represents peace, saving the world and saving people; water can be used as medicine, and can also be used to charge medicine and make firearms and weapons, thus representing medicine. Health, longevity, even including driving away disasters and avoiding dangers. This alone is enough for the "five blessings", whether it is "the first is longevity, the second is wealth, the third is well-being, the fourth is to cultivate good virtue, and the fifth is to test the end of life" listed in "Shangshu·Hongfan" or the commonly referred to blessings and wealth. , longevity, happiness, wealth. Not only that, according to the legends of "Gourd Zao" and "Hu Gong", those who treat Taoists well can get rich from the gourd or can enter the "Wonderland in the Pot". In the Taoist imagination, the "Wonderland in the Pot" is the supreme blessed land: carefree and carefree. , immortality.

Due to the legend of "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea", the gourd ranks among the "Eight Immortals", also known as the "Eight Treasures", and is known as the "Treasure Gourd". It is also said that "there are only five blessings in the gourd", including " Everything you need”, “Mystical power is vast”, “My magic power is boundless”. Because of its original shape and properties such as sealing and containing, gourds arouse human imagination and sense of mystery.

The homophonic pronunciation of Fu, Lu, Wan, Sheng and Sheng. Fu, Lu and Fulu are homophonic and are represented by gourds. Later generations are represented by gourd vines with lush foliage and many fruits. Sheng represents birth and promotion. There are no less than 50 names and writings for gourds in regular Chinese characters, which is also an important part of gourd culture. . Taking the most basic gourd, pot, gourd, bell, reed, gourd, and ladle, it can be directly analyzed as a big melon, a big ball, a big bag or a big bubble. Compare the dialect with the ladle melon and take into account the pronunciation or different pronunciation of early residents. Single, or different, the gourd, the pu, the pu, the float, the ladle have similar combinations of sounds, just like the foley of gourds affected by objects and fluids, that is, Lu, Hulu, Fulu, Pulu... Hudai... Fu, reeds represent wealth, vines represent thousands, and the sheng represents birth and promotion. It is a convention that the sheng represents vitality because its sound is like the vitality of spring. Calabash has become an auspicious musical instrument for many ethnic groups.

Hexin is a synonym for marriage, an auspicious word, and a special celebration word. First of all, it originates from records such as "Hun Yi" mentioned above. Secondly, when drinking in marriage, a gourd is used as a ladle with a specific character - 卺congkai style interpretation: the upper part is Cheng, which means succession, continuation, harmony, complementing and helping each other; the lower part is 卩, which is a seal script, that is, bamboo, and is now used as a festival. , refers to chastity, integrity, and conduct. As "Huanyi" says, "The wedding party will combine the two surnames. The top one will serve the ancestral temple, and the bottom one will carry on the future generations. Therefore, a gentleman attaches great importance to it." The newlyweds each exchange cups with half a ladle tied with a red string. After drinking, the two halves of the ladle are combined into one and tied with a red rope. This has become the most important ceremony at the wedding. The meaning is self-evident.

Auspicious maps or patterns are the accumulation and important part of the history of Chinese auspicious culture. Gourds or continuous flowers, fruits, leaves, vines, or prominent fruits are either the main or supplementary in the relevant maps. The monkey on the gourd means that from now on, the family will be ennobled from generation to generation. The Calabash King Kong and the Calabash brothers and sisters are the incarnations of justice and magical power.

Many gourd pictures show the gourd's status in Chinese auspicious culture and its stable status as a mascot in the past and present. Taoist temples and Buddhist temples also often use gourd tops as spiritual treasures to protect the temples.

The "vine" of the gourd's branches is homophonic to "wan". There are many gourd seeds in each mature gourd, and the Han people associate it with "descendants will be prosperous and prosperous for generations"; In addition, its various shapes and beautiful shapes give people a sense of joy and peace without artificial carving. The ancients believed that it can drive away disasters and evil spirits, pray for happiness, and make descendants prosperous. Therefore, for thousands of years, gourds have been loved and treasured by people as a mascot and ornamental object. Some houses hang gourds under the roof beams, which they call "top". It is said that after taking this measure, their homes are safer and smoother; more sophisticated people tie five gourds with red strings, which is called "five blessings". At the door".

In the countryside of Taiwan, there is a popular proverb: "A gourd in the house will make the family rich." It means that only by placing a gourd at home can you gather wealth and become wealthy. The gourd is a commonly used object in Feng Shui. It has good effects, great power, and unique functions. It has two important functions, one is to cure diseases, and the other is to remove evil spirits.

"Flying Star Fu" says: "Seven gourds are different, and medical divination can prosper a family." 'Seven is Dui Gua. If there is a gourd-shaped mountain in this direction, it is gourd sand, and the owner has high academic and development in medical and divination astrology. In Luo Shu, Dui Gua is in the west. Gourds are used as medicine and horoscopes. If someone is engaged in this profession, hanging gourds at home will be beneficial to career and academics.

There is this poem in "Lu Ban Cun Bai Bo": Gourds are painted on the beams on the wall, the nine-rate three teach Kung Fu, everyone has different skills when visiting, and there are many doctors and divination stars. In addition, the gourd is also a mysterious object that can subdue monsters and block any evil spirits. In particular, the copper gourd has the best effect on dispelling evil spirits.

In Feng Shui, stars that block fortunes and bring diseases are all five elements belonging to earth, and copper gourds have the effect of resolving earth evils. If you add them to the bottom and cover of copper gourds, If you put the Bagua pattern on it, it will become a 'Bagua gourd' with better effect.

If a gourd is hung outside the door, it will keep the people inside the house safe. Since ancient times, traditional Chinese folk custom has believed that gourds not only promote good health, but can also increase the bond between husband and wife. If the relationship between husband and wife is weak, a copper gourd can be placed on the bedside to increase the love between husband and wife. In addition, anyone who has a weak person in the family can place this instrument, which is good for health. It is especially suitable for families with children and the elderly. This object can also bring good fortune and good luck to a certain extent. In myths and stories, gourds are always accompanied by gods and heroes. For example, Tieguai Li among the Eight Immortals, Nanjiweng, the longevity star, and Monk Jigong all carry gourds on their backs or hang them from their waists. They are considered to bring good fortune and good luck to mankind. of spiritual things.

So gourds have been a symbol of "good fortune, good fortune, good luck" and "health and longevity" since ancient times. They are also a good product for protecting the home. In traditional folk metaphors, gourds are believed to keep the body healthy, so they are hung at the end of the bed or placed on the side of the bed. It can absorb the bad aura and make it get better quickly. If it is a healthy person, it can absorb the bad luck from the person and improve his fortune.