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

  Fig 2: porcelain dish, Song dynasty (960-1279), courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

  Fig 3-4: bottle with peony scroll, Yuan dynasty (1271-1368), courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY

  Fig 5-6: porcelain bowls, Hongwu period (1368-98), Ming dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

  Fig 7: porcelain vase, Yongle period (1403-25), Ming dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

  Fig 8: porcelain dish, Xuande period (1426-35), Ming dynasty, courtesy of the ATAKA Collection, the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, photograph by MUDA Tomohiro

  Fig 9: porcelain vase, 17^th century, courtesy of Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University

  Fig 10: porcelain dish, Yongzheng period (1723-35), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

  Fig 11: porcelain vase, Yongzheng period (1723-35), Qing dynasty, courtesy of Tokyo National Museum

  Fig 12: porcelain jar, Qianlong period (1736-95), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

  Fig 13: porcelain square basin, Guangxu period (1875-1908), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei