Description: Emperor Chenghua, born Zhu Jiashen, was the ninth Emperor of the Ming Dynasty and ruled between 1464 and 1487. During the first part of his reign, he filed various draft laws to cut taxes and to strengthen his position at the Imperial Court. However, his well-substantiated policies were never enforced till the end of his ruling, and political power once again fell in the hands of the eunuchs, of Wang Zhi in particular, one of the most influencial eunuchs at the Imperial Court. The theme of this set corresponds to the design tendencies of the time; the Chenghua period was renowned for its symbolism sourced in the poems of the Tang and Southern Song Dynasties, as well as for the playful motifs used to decorate vessels.