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 reign mark “Guangxu nian zhi” which suggests that it could have been manufactured during the reign of Emperor Guangxu from 1875 to 1908. The decorative motifs include sprays of pink and purple peonies with leaves. Peonies symbolise love, beauty, spring and good fortune. At the rim is a pink border decorated with symbols from the eight auspicious Buddhist emblems such as the Conch shell and 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.
