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| As an attribute of one of the Eight Immortals (sennin ) the gourd is one of the emblems of Immortality. It is held by Li T'ieh-kuai and spirals of smoke ascend from it, indicating his powers of setting his spirit free from his body and foretelling the future. In general the gourd is a charm for longevity, for it is extremely durable when dried. The numerous seeds symbolize fertility and many offspring. In China, moreover, the stem of the gourd is calledwan tai or 10.000 generations (Jap:banzai ), so that the gourd with leafy stem becomes an emblem of good fortune for the present and into the very far future. Other properties of the dried gourd contribute to its use as a symbol. It is regarded in Japan as a charm against stumbling. because it always comes back to its upright position when given a push, although it is round bottomed, and it bobs up again after being submerged in water. Last but not least, it was used in early times to keep water cool during hot weather. thus it is a general emblem of good health and pleasant feelings like that of coolness in summer. |