The blue and white jardiniere or flower pot on the right, has a four-clawed, writhing dragon admist stylised cloud scrolls chasing a pearl. While the pot on the left, comprises symbols of the Eight Immortals of different patterns in between roundels.The production of blue and white ware in large quantities started during the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368) for the Middle Eastern market. By the Ming (1368-1644) dynasty, blue and white wares were produced for the emperor, domestic consumption and for export to many places such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Europe. The late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries saw the deterioration in the quality of Ming porcelain due to huge demands from the imperial court as well as from export trade. Little experimentation occurred during this period. Blue decorated wares continued to be made until the end of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) although the production of these wares were greatly reduced and were made mostly for the domestic market only.
