Abstract：The gourd ladle, half a gourd shell, is a daily utensil in ancient China, whose main function is to be used as a container. Many a historical document regards the image of gourd as a symbol of fertility worship. In the fourth chapter of The Golden Lotus, Old woman Wang borrowed a gourd ladle from Pan Jinlian, which is commented by Zhang Zhupo as “a metaphorical use of language ”. The gourd ladle ( piao) symbolizes Pan Jinlian's whoring ( a homophone of Piao) . In the ninety-first chapter of A Dream of Red Mansions, Baoyu and Daiyu begins the topic of Zen with the gourd ladle ( piao) , which symbolizes Daiyu's drifting life ( another homophone of Piao) . The analysis of various images of the gourd ladle used in The Golden Lotus and A Dream of Red Mansions can help researchers further interpret the cultural codes, different aesthetic implications and spiritual merits in the two classic novels.

Keyword：The Golden Lotus;A Dream of Red Mansions;gourd ladle;image;