This bowl is an example of Peranakan Chinese porcelain or Nyonya ware made from overglaze polychrome enamelled porcelain with gilt edged rim. It carries the shop mark “Cheng Yi Tai zao”. The decorative motifs include a bright red peony spray, complete with leaves of different shades of green and buds. Peonies are auspicious symbols that represent spring, love, beauty and good fortune. The rim is decorated with a pink border with symbols from the Eight auspicious Buddhist emblems such as the Wheel of Law. These are interspersed with trailing ribbons. These emblems represent all manner of good wishes. In a Peranakan household, such a bowl could have been used to serve main dishes cooked with gravy or creamy glutinous rice or juice based desserts.
