台湾大诗人余光中有一首诗,叫《白玉苦瓜》。余先生所吟哦的苦瓜,乃是早年珍藏在故宫里的宝物———一只用上等白玉制成的苦瓜。这样的苦瓜属皇室的把玩物品,不仅远离民间烟火,而且与我下面要说的苦瓜相距遥远。我这里说的苦瓜悬挂在民间百姓家里,与芸芸众生早已水乳交融,甚至 Taiwan’s poet Yu Guangzhong has a poem, called “white jade melon.” The balsam that Mr. Yu remembers is an early treasure earmarked in the Forbidden City --- a bitter gourd made of fine white jade. This kind of bitter gourd is a royal plaything, not only far away from folk fireworks, but also far below the bitter gourd I want to say. I said here bitter gourd hanging in the homes of ordinary people, and mortal beings have long been blended, or even