Journey to the West

This gourd was divided into four distinct sections after the artisan’s ingenious handling of the already eccentric shape. The four well-known characters of the Chinese literary classic Journey to the West (西游记) were sculpted on the four prominent sections one by one, against the backdrop of mountains and clouds in the distance and the rocks and pine trees in the nearby. A flowing creek was also added on the dented area. The bulges and dents on the surface of the gourd coincide with the rugged road to the west, serving as an apposite symbol of the hardships the four will encounter. Thanks to the superb skills of the artisan, this artwork looks natural, elegant and harmonious although the main characters are in separate sections.