A rare and elegant Song Dynasty Longquan Yao dish; this dish distinguishes itself from most other Longquan wares in that it is fired on a circular support so that the foot rim is fully glazed and in that it has a very thick, unctuous glaze, mimicking the glaze of Song Guan wares; the glaze surface has a texture like that of a semi-polished jade surface and is totally without the shine of newly fired porcelains; the outside wall and the mouth rim are elaborately sculptured to form a 32-petal chrysanthemum flower shape; the center of the bottom has dragon pressed on it; all these features suggest that this dish was made for the imperial court. Width 7 1/2 in. Provenance: Dr. Robert I-San Lin’s Collection of Important Chinese Arts, brought to California in 1960s