The Chinese phrase ‘Gong ming 功名’ for ‘scholarly honour or official rank’ is a pun on two Chinese characters ‘gong 公’ and ‘ming 鸣’.

‘Gong 公’ from ‘gong ji 公鸡’, the Chinese name for ‘rooster’, makes pun on the Chinese word ‘gong 功’; and ‘ming 鸣’, which is the Chinese word for ‘cock’s crowing’, is a pun on ‘ming 名’.

Peony has a nickname in Chinese as ‘fu gui hua 富贵花’, literally, the ‘flower of wealth and prestige’.

Thus, the combination of roosters and peony flowers in one picture in Chinese people’s eyes sends the message of wishing someone do well in civil-service examinations, and go on to enjoy a rich and prestigious life.

The design may also be referred to as ‘fu gui you qi 富贵有期’.

Related motifs:

Rooster 公鸡

Peony 富贵花

• Fig 1 & 2: porcelain plates with enamel colours, c.1725 – c.1749, courtesy of Rijksmuseum, Holland

  Fig 3: porcelain saucer-shaped dish, early 18^th century, courtesy of Sir Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art

  Fig 4: saucer-shape porcelain dish, early 18^th century, courtesy of the British Museum, London

  Fig 5: porcelain plate with enamel colours, c.1800 – c.1899, courtesy of Rijksmuseum, Holland