What is the symbolism of the gourd pattern

The gourd is an annual climbing herb of the family Cucurbitaceae, with tendril branches, alternate leaves, and fruits of various shapes depending on the species. In ancient times, China used the gourd as a vegetable and water-reducing medicine, but also used it as a musical instrument, containers, wine, water and water floatation. Pottery decoration New Stone Age Majiayao culture half of the mountain type of colored pottery has been seen. Most of the gourd pattern and net pattern combined with a composite pattern.

Generally composed of four or six groups of girdle gourd-shaped, symmetrical, gourd mouth generally upward, individual downward. Most of the gourd reticulation with black and red color painting system, the first red painted gourd outline, painted outside the black sawtooth band, filled with fine and neat reticulation, between the gourd with a sawtooth pattern or other geometric pattern separation.

Early gourd-shaped girdle is not obvious, the center of the two sides of the slightly inward, to the middle of the gourd-shaped lower part of the gourd gradually become larger, the late gourd-shaped girdle is obvious, the lower part of the rounded become larger. Porcelain patterns have been produced in all generations, to the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties for more. Often with the gourd harmonized to indicate some kind of auspicious meaning, such as the gourd pattern filled with the word "life" and the mountain pattern, the sea wave pattern metaphor for "happiness, longevity, mountain and sea". Five gourd four conch around the synthesis of flowers, symbolizing the "five lakes and all over the world". Gourd vines, bats, mountains symbolize longevity.