A FAMILLE VERTE DISH

Cranes and deer are frequently adopted as auspicious symbols in Chinese imagery. Cranes represent immortality, denoting the wish for longevity. Deer, read as 'lu' in Chinese, provides the pun for 'emolument'. The deer on the current dish may be interpreted as a wish for obtaining a higher official rank and gaining a better salary.
See a very similar dish decorated with officials and soldiers, dated to 1655-80, illustrated in Famille Verte: Chinese Porcelain in Green Enamels, Belgium, 2011, p. 24, pl. 13. Also see a similarly enamelled dish, dated to the 16th century, illustrated in The World's Great Collections: Oriental Ceramics, Vol. 3, Museum Pusat, Jakarta, Tokyo, 1982, pl. 35. Additionally, see a porcelain bowl with similar decoration, dated to the second half of the 15th century, illustrated in The World's Great Collections: Oriental Ceramics, Vol. 6, Percival David Collection of Chinese Art, London, Tokyo, 1982, pl. 38.