Zhang Ziying - Dish - Ceramic - Qianjiangcai 1898

Dish painted by Zhang Ziying and dated 1898.
This is a beautiful Chinese porcelain plate, painted in the so-called 浅绛彩 (Qianjiangcai) or 粉彩 (Famille Rose) style, which was particularly popular during the late Qing Dynasty (late 19th century).
The four Chinese characters at the top of the plate read: 富贵白头 (Fù Guì Bái Tóu). This is a visual pun and a traditional blessing for a marriage or for the elderly: The Peonies (牡丹 - Mǔdān): The large pink flowers symbolize wealth and status in Chinese culture. The two birds: These are Chinese bulbuls, in Chinese literally 白头翁 (Báitóuwēng), which translates as "white-headed elders." Because they have a white plume on the back of their heads, they symbolize long life and longevity. The symbolic wish: Together the peonies and the birds express the wish "May you grow old together in wealth and harmony until your hair is white" (until death parts us).
Because of this meaning, these kinds of plates and vases in China have historically been very commonly given as wedding gifts or dowry porcelain (嫁妆瓷 - Jiàzhuāng cí).