The creature depicted in the centre is typically identified as a qilin, a mythological beast believed to embody attributes such as benevolence, longevity and the bearing of illustrious offspring. Such dishes with a sketchily-rendered qilin motif have been recovered in large quantities in the Malay Archipelago. The thick potting and quality of glaze and decoration of this dish suggests that it was probably a product of the Zhangzhou kilns in Fujian province. Zhangzhou wares, which were distinguished by their spontaneous and often exuberant painted decoration, were a popular type of ceramics made for export during the late Ming dynasty.
