The gourd, as an ancient plant, occupies a unique position in Chinese culture. It is not only a practical living implement, but also a cultural symbol signifying good luck. With time, the gourd has gradually evolved from a simple natural object to a colorful work of art, covering a variety of forms such as carving, branding, and painting. This paper reveals the significance of gourd artworks in China’s national culture, rich art forms, and other aspects through an in-depth study of the historical origin, production process, artistic value, and cultural connotation of gourd artwork. It looks forward to its future development, aiming to promote the inheritance and innovation of gourd art, to make it in renewed vitality.
I. Historical origin of gourd artwork
1.1 Cultivation and application history of gourd
Cucurbits have a long history of cultivation in China. As early as ancient times, they were closely related to human life. Initially, gourds were mainly valued for their practical value. Mature gourds could be used as containers for scooping up water, digging noodles, and holding medicine and wine, which were extremely common but practical daily necessities. In addition, gourds were also made into agricultural tools, boats, musical instruments, and even firearms, and played an important role in many fields such as production, transportation, entertainment, and even war.
1.2 Formation and development of gourd culture
With time, the gourd gradually transcended its practical function at the material level and was endowed with rich cultural connotations. As the sound of the gourd is close to “Fortune and Fortune”, and it has many seeds inside, it symbolizes the progeny, many children, many blessings, peace and goodwill, a happy family, and a rolling source of wealth. Thus, it has become an auspicious object in people’s minds, called the “auspicious gourd”.
1.3 Origin and early development of gourd art
To make the gourd more aesthetically pleasing, people began to carve various designs on its surface, and this was the prototype of gourd art. Although it is difficult to prove the exact time of the origin of gourd art, it can be assumed from historical documents and archaeological discoveries that the history of gourd art is quite long. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, gourd artwork ushered in a peak period of development. At that time, Dongchangfu (present-day Liaocheng, Shandong Province), bordering on the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, was the political, economic, and cultural hub of western Lusi, where merchants and businessmen gathered and prospered for a while. Locally carved gourds became an important commodity produced by farmers on both sides of the canal and were exported all over China through the canal. At the same time, in the court, gourd artwork was also highly favored, the production process became more and more exquisite, and the themes and forms were more abundant and diverse.
II. Artistic expressions of gourd artwork
2.1 Gourd carving art
Carving is one of the most common forms of artistic expression in gourd artwork. According to the different depths and techniques of carving, it can be divided into yin carving, yang carving, relief carving, and skeleton carving. Yin carving is to carve out recessed lines and patterns on the surface of the gourd, with delicate and smooth lines and an aesthetic sense of simplicity and elegance; yang carving is to remove parts other than the pattern so that the pattern protrudes from the surface of the gourd, with a strong sense of three-dimensionality; relief carving is done through multi-layered carving, to make the pattern show the effect of undulation and height, which enhances the sense of hierarchy and three-dimensionality of the picture; skeletonization carving removes some of the material of the gourd to form a permeable pattern, which is more difficult to process and has unique characteristics. The process is more difficult and has a unique artistic charm. According to the shape and texture of the gourd, the carving artist skillfully conceives and vividly presents various subjects such as figures, birds and flowers, landscapes, and so on on the surface of the gourd, demonstrating superior skills and artistic creativity.
2.2 Gourd painting art
Painting is the art form of using various pigments on the surface of gourds. With rich colors and strong expressive power, painted gourds can produce delicate portraits, gorgeous landscapes, vivid animal images, and so on. Before painting, the surface of the gourd needs to be processed to make it smooth and flat so that the pigments can adhere better. During the painting process, the artist uses different brush strokes and color combinations to express the texture and mood of the picture. Modern painted gourds also incorporate Western painting techniques and modern art elements, giving new vitality to traditional Chinese gourd art.
2.3 Branding Art
Branding, also known as hot-painting, is the use of a high-temperature iron to iron out branding marks on the surface of the gourd for painting. Branding gourd has a unique artistic effect, the picture shows different shades of brown, simple and natural, with a strong flavor of traditional Chinese ink painting. During the process of branding, the artist, by controlling the temperature, pressure, and speed of the branding iron, outlines lines and renders layers on the surface of the gourd, bringing to life characters, landscapes, flowers, birds, and other subjects. The art of branding not only requires exquisite skills but also requires the artist to have profound drawing skills and aesthetic qualities.
2.4 Tongue & groove art
Inlay art is to set other materials, such as shells, precious stones, and metals, on the surface of the gourd, reflecting the material of the gourd itself and forming a unique artistic effect. The inlay process needs to be carefully designed according to the shape and pattern of the gourd, and different materials are skillfully combined, so that the work has the natural and simple beauty of the gourd, but also adds the magnificence and delicacy of the inlaid materials. Inlaid gourd works of art often have high artistic and collector’s value and are a good example of the combination of gourd art and other crafts.
III. Craftsmanship and steps in the production of gourd artwork
3.1 Selection of materials
Material selection is the first and crucial step in making gourd artwork. High-quality gourds are the basis for making exquisite artwork. When selecting materials, we should choose gourds with regular shapes, moderate size, smooth surface, and hard texture. Different production processes have different requirements for gourds, for example, gourds used for carving require thick skin and fine texture; gourds used for branding require uniform skin color and no spots. In addition, we should also consider the maturity of the gourd, too young gourd soft texture, not easy to save; too old gourd has rough skin, not conducive to processing.
3.2 Processing
Selected gourds need to undergo a series of processing procedures. The first is cleaning, the gourd surface dirt and impurities clean, to follow-up processing. Then it is drying, the cleaned gourd will be placed in a well-ventilated place to dry, so that its moisture gradually evaporates and the texture becomes hard. During the drying process, attention should be paid to avoiding direct sunlight to prevent the surface of the gourd from cracking. For some gourd artworks that need to be preserved for a long time, it is also necessary to carry out anti-mold and anti-insect treatments, such as applying antiseptic and placing insect repellent.
3.3 Design
Design is an important part of making gourd artwork. The artist conceives and designs according to the shape, size, and characteristics of the gourd, combined with his or her own creative intent. During the design process, the natural form of the gourd should be fully considered, and its curves and textures should be skillfully utilized to make the artwork integrated with the gourd itself. The design can be presented by sketching or outlining directly on the surface of the gourd to guide subsequent production.
3.4 Production
According to different forms of artistic expression, corresponding production processes are used. For example, for carving gourds, it is necessary to use tools such as carving knives to carve according to the design pattern; for painted gourds, it is necessary to use brushes to paint on the surface of the gourd; for branding gourds, it is necessary to use a soldering iron to create the artwork by controlling the temperature and the technique; and for inlaid gourds, it is necessary to cut and polish the inlaid material, and then inlaid it on the surface of the gourd according to the design pattern. In the production process, attention should be paid to the details to ensure the quality and artistic effect of the work.
3.5 Decoration and protection
After the production is completed, it is also necessary to decorate and protect the gourd artwork. Decoration can be done by adding bases, hanging ropes, and other ways to enhance the ornamental and practicality of the work. Protection is to extend the service life of the work and prevent it from being damaged. Protective materials such as varnish and wax can be applied to the surface of the artwork to form a protective film on the surface and also to increase the gloss of the artwork.
IV. Development prospects
With people’s emphasis on culture and the growing demand for cultural consumption, gourd artwork has a broad development prospect. On the one hand, as an important carrier of culture, gourd artwork can satisfy people’s pursuit of spiritual and cultural life and has high cultural value and artistic value. On the other hand, gourd artwork can be combined with tourism and cultural and creative industries to develop cultural tourism products and cultural and creative products with special characteristics and promote the development of related industries. In addition, by strengthening international cultural exchanges and promoting gourd artwork to the international market, it can enable more people to understand and appreciate the charm of Chinese culture and promote the dissemination and exchange of Chinese culture.
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