Making a wine gourd was much more difficult than making a gourd ladle. Li Xiang had already researched the process extensively online, so with a good understanding of the steps involved, he got to work.
He started with the first gourd as a practice run. It wouldn't matter even if he failed with all three; once his own gourds were grown, he would have plenty more to work with.
He picked up the smallest of the three, but even it was over thirty centimeters tall.
These three were the most aesthetically pleasing of the eight gourds. Wine gourds have high standards for their overall "form." They aren't just for holding wine; they must also have an artistic quality. If one was misshapen and ugly, the finished product would be hideous.
The requirements for a gourd ladle were much lower. As long as it was reasonably round with a large enough belly, it didn't matter if the top bulb was smaller than the bottom one.
