This dish is one of the few known examples of Zhangzhou ware featuring very fine figural depiction. The centre medallion is vividly painted with a Daoist immortal, possibly Lan Cai He (one of the Eight Immortals often depicted with a floral basket), accompanied by a deer. The border features intricate trellis work in red enamels separating panels of floral decoration.Zhangzhou ware was commonly known as ‘Swatow ware’ due to the previously-held (but mistaken) belief that this type of ceramics was shipped out from the port of Shantou (Swatow) in Guangdong province. They are typically painted with bold decoration, heavily potted and have bases with grit adhering to them. The most common type is decorated in underglaze blue, though examples painted with green, turquoise, and red enamels are also common. These wares were mainly made for export to Japan and Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines. Chinese ceramics were highly prized in these places and were used extensively by the nobility and the elite as status symbols.
