In literature, the gourd is the subject of poems by Tu Fu (712--770), Wei Ying wu (737--786), Ma Chiu-ch'ou (c. 12-13th centuries), and Kao Ch'i (1336--1374).
寒事今牢落，人生亦有初。同時期的韋應物則有詠酒壺蘆，一詩三闕的「寄釋子良史酒瓢」，更顯露了友情的珍貴：