葫蘆既為食物、蔬菜，又可作器皿瓢飲。葫蘆干后可以倒出很多種子，用以繁殖，與生殖崇拜有關(guān)。在廣西瑤族的傳統(tǒng)中，葫蘆還與洪水時(shí)救了伏羲、女媧兩兄妹的命有關(guān)。因此，葫蘆是南方許多民族的圖騰標(biāo)志。

《后漢書》及葛洪的《神仙傳》中記載：壺公，不知其姓名。費(fèi)長(zhǎng)房為市掾，忽見(jiàn)公從遠(yuǎn)方來(lái)，入肆賣藥，人莫識(shí)之。賣藥口不二價(jià)，治病皆愈。常懸一空壺于屋上，日入之后，公跳入壺中，人莫能見(jiàn)。唯長(zhǎng)房樓上見(jiàn)之，知非常人也。長(zhǎng)房乃自掃公座前地及供饌物，公受而不辭。如此積久，公知長(zhǎng)房篤信，謂房曰：“至暮無(wú)人時(shí)更來(lái)。”長(zhǎng)房如其言往，公語(yǔ)房曰：“見(jiàn)我跳入壺中時(shí)，即便效我跳。”長(zhǎng)房依言，果不覺(jué)已入。唯見(jiàn)玉堂儼麗，樓臺(tái)重門閣道，公左右侍者數(shù)十人。乃與長(zhǎng)房共飲，酒器如拳許大，飲之至暮不竭。后長(zhǎng)房求道，隨從入山，能醫(yī)療眾病，鞭笞百鬼。后失其符，為眾鬼所殺。其治病皆能愈，并每語(yǔ)人曰：服此藥必吐某物，某日當(dāng)愈，言無(wú)不效。如所周知，歷來(lái)賣藥的常置藥于壺中；煉丹術(shù)士更是置金丹于壺中。藥鋪市招，常以葫蘆為標(biāo)識(shí)鬻賣。因此葫蘆為藥肆、郎中標(biāo)識(shí)無(wú)疑。俗話說(shuō)“不知他葫蘆里賣的什么藥”。從上述故事可窺見(jiàn)葫蘆在原始意識(shí)中與醫(yī)藥有不解之緣，本為互滲而來(lái)的圖騰標(biāo)記。

Gourd--Totem of Chinese Medicine

Gourd could be used as food,vegetable and ladle or utensil for drinking.The worship of reproduction is associated with gourd because gourd produces numerous seeds when dried.Among the traditions of the Yao nationality of Guangxi in China,gourd played a part in saving the lives of Fuxi and Nuwa,brother and sister,ancestors of the Chinese people,in the great flood.In fact,gourd has been a totem for many southern nationalities in China.

Both Hou Han Shu and Ge Hong's Shen Xian Zhuan described the following story.Hu,a senior,came from afar,nobody knew his name.Fei Zhangfang,a market administrator,saw him enter a shop to sell his medicines.Although the prices were non-negotiable,the medicines worked.The man often hung an empty gourd on the beam in his room and jumped into it after sunset each day.Zhangfang happened to see this from an upper floor,and began to understand that this man was not a common folk.He swept the floor of his room and presented Hu with food and drinks.The old man took all without hesitation.Each day,Zhangfang did the same.After a period of time,the old man was assured of Zhangfang's trust and told him，"ome at dusk when nobody's around." Zhangfang went as he had been told.Then the man said，"hen I jump into the gourd,follow me immediately." Zhangfang followed him and was in the gourd before he knew it.Before him was a grand jade hall with numerous buildings and towers around,and intertwining doors and corridors.More than ten servants were waiting on Senior Hu.Then Zhangfang and Senior Hu enjoyed a feast.The drinking cup was as big as a man's fist and would never run dry till deep into the night.Later Zhangfang asked the man to teach him Taoism and followed him deep into the mountains.As a result,Zhangfang learned to heal diseases and even could lash out at ghosts.However,eventually he was killed by ghosts,after his magic talisman went missing.Whatever disease it was,Zhangfang could cure it.Each time he would tell the patient that the medicine would make him vomit something up and then the disease would be healed on a certain day.His words always came true.It is well-known to the Chinese people that a medicine seller by tradition puts his medicine in a gourd;and a Taoism alchemist hides his magic pills in a gourd at all times.Outside herbal shops,gourds are hung as a sign that there are medicines for sale.Therefore,if you see a gourd,you know that a herbal medicine shop or physician is around.Just as aChinese idiom goes "you don't know what kind of medicine he is selling in his gourd." All these stories indicate that gourds are intertwined with medicine in primitive thinking and function as the totem of Chinese medicine.