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” suggesting that it could have been manufactured during the reign of Emperor Guangxu from 1875 to 1908. The exterior of the piece is decorated with motifs of a phoenix with a green scaly body perched on some rocks. It is surrounded by large red sprays of peonies. The phoenix is a mythical long tailed bird that symbolises beauty, grace, high virtue, the bride and the Empress. Peonies are symbols of spring, love, beauty and good fortune. The inner rim of the piece is decorated with a border with floral motifs and trailing ribbons. 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.
