Lot 2202. A yellow-ground famille rose bowl, Qianlong four-character mark within double-squares and of the period (1736-1795); 6 1/4 in. (16 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 300,000 - HKD 400,000. Price realised HKD 500,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2012

The bowl is enamelled around the exterior with four roundels, each enclosing a character forming the phrase Fori changming, 'The Eternal Light of Buddhism', reserved on a pink diaper ground within a blue border, surrounded by highly stylised lotus sprays on a bright yellow ground, wood stand, box.

Provenance: Sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 20 May 1987, lot 550 

Note: The design on the present lot is recorded in the Qing Palace Archives: 'On the twenty-second day of the twelfth month in the first year of the Qianlong reign (1736)...the emperor endorsed the production of wares in accordance with the plate prototype featuring a yellow ground with green-enamelled floral motifs and the four characters Fori chang ming, applicable on any 7-cun (the Chinese measurement cun is equivalent to 3.2-3.55 cm) plate, 5-cun plate, large bowl and small bowl...' Henceforth, that design was widely fashioned on porcelain wares in the following reigns.

A bowl of this pattern from the British Rail Pension Fund was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 16 May 1989, lot 86.