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Dish with flared rim, on a foot ring. The base with a ribboned emblem in a double ring. In the centre within a double ring among flames a horned, sinuous dragon en face chasing two flaming pearls. The well plain, the rim with crested waves and prunus blossoms against a blue ground with dark blue spirals. The back with four ribboned emblems.
Dragons are considered to be in charge of the well-being of the country because they cause the rain to fall and consequently take care of a good harvest. They symbolize the emperor. Dragons are depicted frontally in a similar pose on their hind legs in the Jiajing (1522-1566) and Wanli (1573-1620) periods. This dish is dated by stylistic comparison with late 17th century examples in the Topkapi Saray in Istanbul: a dish in showing a similar dragon and a dish with a related border pattern.
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