A photo taken on January 22, 2008 shows the football-shaped calabashes planted by a local resident in Lanzhou, northwest China's Gansu Province. After six years of experimenting, Lanzhou local Mr. Zha, devised a special way to grow the tree enabling him to harvest various peculiar shapes like footballs, chessmen and even the figure of Buddha.

Chessmen-shaped calabashes

Buddha-shaped calabashes

Mr. Zha shows his Buddha-shaped calabash craft.

Mr. Zha shows his basketball-shaped calabash craft.

Mr. Zha plays Chinese chess. All the chessmen are made by calabashes he planted.

(China Daily January 25, 2008)