This piece carries the auspicious mark “Zhao Cai Jin Bao” which is translated to mean a call for wealth and treasure. The decorative motifs on this piece include a phoenix among reddish pink flower buds. The phoenix has an iron red head and body, a green scaly body with details in black and a green and ochre coloured tail. This mythical long tailed bird is an auspicious symbol that represents beauty, grace, high virtue, the bride and the Empress. The rim is decorated with a border pattern made up of orange key frets. This bowl is an example of Peranakan Chinese porcelain or Nyonya ware made from overglaze polychrome enamelled porcelain with gilt edged rim. 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.