The peony flower, known in Chinese as ‘mudan hua 牡丹花’, has a nickname of ‘fu gui hua 富贵花’, literally meaning the flower of wealth and prestige.

Related motif:

Two-horned peony blossom 双犄牡丹

Related Pun Pictures:

May your wealth and privilege expectable 富贵有期

You may become super rich by receiving good education 读书大富贵

• Fig 1-2: bottle with peony scroll, Yuan dynasty (1271 – 1368), courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY

  Fig 3-4: porcelain bowls, Hongwu period (1368 – 98), Ming dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

  Fig 5: porcelain vase, Yongle period (1403 – 25), Ming dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

  Fig 6: porcelain dish, Xuande period (1426 – 35), Ming dynasty, courtesy of the ATAKA Collection, the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, photograph by MUDA Tomohiro

  Fig 7: porcelain dish, Song dynasty (960 – 1279), courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

  Fig 8: vase from Cizhou kiln, 12^th century, courtesy of the ATAKA Collection, the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, photograph by MUDA Tomohiro

  Fig 9: porcelain dish, Yongzheng period (1723 – 35), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

  Fig 10: close-up, porcelain vase, Yongzheng period (1723 – 35), Qing dynasty, courtesy of Tokyo National Museum

  Fig 11: porcelain jar, Qianlong period (1736 – 96), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

  Fig 12: porcelain square basin, Guangxu period (1875 – 1908), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei