Extraordinary, Rare, Chinese 17/18th Century Qing Dynasty Period, Kangxi wucai dragon motif porcelain plate. The Finest porcelain potted in shallow vessel form, thick and large, with broad wide central interior, rounded cavetto gently tapering to open wide, with a straight open lip, raised with round shallow draft, slight concave base. All reserved in hand painting ornamentations, rendered in clean white under glazed ground color which contrast against the wucai design color. Wucai meaning five enamels or "five color ware" shades and tones. Is in reality mostly three enamels (red, green and yellow) within outlines in blackish dry cobalt, under glaze blue, plus the white of the porcelain body, all in all making up five colors, brightly painted in WuCai design, Opaque colors around the exterior, between the filling motif decorated in colorful vivid sgrafitto ground of uptala. The name Wucai refers to Chinese porcelain items decorated in this style. This possibly suggest that the important thing is the name wu-cai, or five-color ware, where the number five has an important symbolic significance in Chinese art. The center interior medallion and the outer mouth rim delicately fine depicted with couple of flying phoenix and couple of snarling huge imperial five claws dragon careening through among abundant flowers blooms interposed fresh green foliage, scrolling interlocking tendril in a vivid tones color dragon squama to chasing flaming pearl amidst flames. Each section part banded and enclosed with double fine rings. Dragon is the symbol of the Emperor, the Son of Heaven, eternity, Yang and Yin, male vigor and fertility and The Phoenix (Feng-Huang) represents exquisiteness, goodness, warmth, prosperity, peace, the Sun, abundant harvests, and reason in government. Since the dragon and the phoenix usually serve as auspicious symbols, any reported sightings of a dragon or phoenix were considered extremely auspicious, heralding a glorious period of peace and prosperity for the people and the country. This is reflected in the Chinese saying: "When the dragon soars and the phoenix dances, the people will enjoy happiness for years, bringing peace and tranquility to all under heaven." From references to the dragon and phoenixes in local festivals and rites to the heights of literature and fine art, they all reveal the glory of these legendary animals. The colors are harmonious, balanced, elegant and exquisite, the composition is sophisticated, simply a feast for the eye. The porcelain displays a subtle sheen across the finely glazed exterior. The porcelain conformed all required specimen to be high valued Chinese porcelain wares, with finest material, the whiteness, the glaze, and the carving. Without overlap the outlines of the design, well carved, clear, subtle, distinct, and the shape is uniformly proportioned. Mark on under base, a horizontal six under glazed blue script characters reign mark, enclosed within double fine rings, Kangxi Reign Period of Great Qing Dynasty. Dimensions: 10.25"L x 1.5"H