Lin Ling's tried-and-true gourd-making method goes like this:
1. Pick the gourd when it is old and hard; scrape off the skin; boil it in hot water; and hang it out in the sun and wind for two days to dry.
2. Steep the dried gourd in diluted preservative for a day or two; then take it outside again to dry.
3. Polish the gourd clean. Then paint, write, or carve a suitable motif on the surface.
4. Spray the surface with clear lacquer to prevent the colors from peeling and to facilitate later polishing and drying.
5. Tie a Chinese knot around the neck, attach a wooden base to the bottom, or add other suitable decoration, and it's done.
To turn the gourd into a drinking vessel, saw off the top and remove the seeds. Then fill the gourd with rice wine and let it sit for about 10 days. Pour out the wine and put in small pebbles and water. Shake for about 10 minutes to clear out the pulp and odor. Once the gourd has dried, it can be used for holding drinks, but it must be dried thoroughly after each use.
To prevent rot, the gourd should be stored in a dry place. Dust should be brushed off with a moist cloth. After a time the surface will turn brown, lending the gourd a homely, antique flavor.
2. Steep the dried gourd in diluted preservative for a day or two; then take it outside again to dry.
3. Polish the gourd clean. Then paint, write, or carve a suitable motif on the surface.
4. Spray the surface with clear lacquer to prevent the colors from peeling and to facilitate later polishing and drying.
5. Tie a Chinese knot around the neck, attach a wooden base to the bottom, or add other suitable decoration, and it's done.
