The degree of bitterness can be gauged by the gourd's color - the light green bitter gourd is indeed bitter, and while the orange bitter gourd is not very bitter, its flesh is too tough to eat.
在他所繪的「苦瓜」圖中，他題了幾行字：「這個苦瓜，老濤就吃了一生。風雨十日，香焚苦茗。