Blue-and-white Plate with Underglaze Copper Red decoration of the Eight Immortal

    Height 2.9cm   Diameter of rim14.5cm
    This plate has a rimmed mouth and flat bottom. The whole body of the plate was covered with white glaze which was smooth and well-proportioned. It turned light green. It was marked “Made by Yang He Tang” in regular script at the bottom.
    The whole plate was decorated in blue-and-white under glazed red. The god of longevity and his deer were painted at the bottom of the plate which was symbols of “good luck, wealth and longevity.” it was designed with the traditional pattern: “eight Taoist immortals crossing the sea”. The eight immortals were holding different camellias. The figures were vivid and they were standing on the waving sea. The pattern is from one of the most widespread folk tales “Eight Taoist Immortals Congratulating the Queen Mother of the West on her Birthday”.
    In Qing Dynasty, some artists sealed “Yang Hetang”, such as Hong Li, Wu Yuesu, Wang Yingshao, Cai Qiu, and Chen Guangxiang and so on. Hong Li was one of the emperors of Qing Dynasty who titled “Qian Long”. “Made in Yang Hetang” should be his seal on the plate. This plate was precisely made and designed. The figures were so vivid so it was a masterpiece in Qian Long Reign.