This early Kangxi famille verte porcelain saucer-dish is decorated principally in red and green with a border of the Three Friends of Winter, Pine, Prunus and Bamboo around the rim, bands of trellis patterns alternating with panels of peach fruit on the cavetto and five medallion-like phoenixes between lotus tassels. The base has a grooved stand-ring, is sunken, glazed and marked with six Kangxi character marks in concentric circles in underglaze blue. The Three Friends of Winter (Pine, Prunus and Bamboo) is one of the earliest floral designs found on porcelain. The Chinese link them as “friends” because they alone flourish during the winter when other vegetation is dormant. They thus symbolize steadfastness in the face of adversity. Bamboo will bend, but not break and pine is evergreen. The prunus also flowers during the winter snows.