Small dish on footring, spreading sides. Radiating lines on the base. Decorated in underglaze blue, iron-red, black and green enamel. In the centre a shou character in underglaze blue in a green medallion surrounded by flowers and leaves. On the reverse three flaming pearls. The body partly orange coloured on the front and back. Kiln-sand adhering to the base. Polychrome porcelain made especially for the Japanese market is called ko-akae (old red decoration). The centrally placed shou character means ‘long life’ and occurs frequently on porcelain in many variations. Note that this piece appears to have been decorated with enamel colours later, the original decoration in underglaze blue was rather clumsily added to or over-painted. It is not clear where this might have occurred: in Jingdezhen, in a south-Chinese kiln, or even later in Japan. The style excludes a European overdecoration.