This plate is an example of Peranakan Chinese porcelain or Nyonya ware made from overglaze polychrome porcelain. It carries the reign mark “Tongzhi nian zhi” suggesting that it could have been produced during the reign of Emperor Tongzhi from 1862 to 1874. The decorative motifs consist of a single white crane within a round medallion at the centre of the piece. It is surrounded by sprays of flowers of different colours, some in orange and some in bright purple. The crane is a symbol of longevity. These motifs are painted against an emerald green background symbolising youth and spring. The border patterns consist of symbols from the Eight auspicious Buddhist Emblems such as the unending knot, the lotus flower, the pair of Golden Fish and the conch shell. These are interspersed with designs of trailing ribbons.
