This bowl is from the Yongzheng period (1723-1735), as is indicated by the six-character reign mark of the emperor on the base of the bowl. Paper stencils were probably used to apply the motifs of bats in underglaze copper red. The bat is an auspicious Chinese symbol. The Chinese character fu 蝠, for bat, sounds similar to the Chinese character, fu 福, for good fortune, which would explain why bat motifs were popularly used to adorn Chinese porcelain and textiles. Together, the five bats (four on the exterior and one inside the bowl) represent the Five Blessings, namely longevity, wealth, health, love of virtue and a peaceful death.
