A rare high quality Kangxi period small blue and white porcelain dish. Figures of the Five Ancients 五行 in the garb of Chinese sages decorate the center of the dish. The Five Ancients are the embodiment of the Five Elements: earth, fire, water, metal, and wood. The Five Elements compose all earthly and heavenly phenomena and are kept in cosmic balance by the opposing forces of yin and yang. Four of the Five Ancients gaze fixedly at a handscroll which two of the sages hold up. This handscroll depicts the yin and yang symbol. This forms together with the Five Ancients, the Daoist "Supreme Ultimate" at once the sign of the unity of the Dao and its duality: male and female, hot and cold, light and dark, hard and soft, dry and wet, heaven and earth. The molded cavetto shows similar iconography: The Eight Trigrams or Bagua 八卦 and the Eight Daoist Emblems. The backside is decorated with stylized lotus design and has a six character apocryphal Chenghua mark. Reference: See a similar decorated jar in: Butler collection Inv. no. 1413 in Leaping the Dragon's Gate | Teresa Canepa Katharine Butler | 30 november 2021 | Page 321 | III.3.70. Jar Dimensions: W 16,5 x H 3 cm Condition: In good condition with 3 rimfrits, no further damage. Checked with strong UV light for defects. Shipping method: The item is securely packed and shipped with insurance without stand or doll house vase.