This blue and white dish with a flattened foliate rim features a sketchy motif of a mythical creature in the central medallion, possibly a ‘qilin’. It is encircled by two faint blue lines and band of classic scrolls on the rim. Zhangzhou wares such as this were commonly known as ‘Swatow ware’ due to the erroneous belief that the wares were shipped out from the port of Zhantou (Swatow). After the ban on overseas trade was lifted in 1567 during the Ming dynasty, Zhangzhou wares were produced in large quantities mainly for the Southeast Asia market. They were of high demand especially in Indonesia and the Phillipines. This dish was acquired in the Philippines and was used as a utility ware.
