The Xuande era also saw the development of themes that reflect the interests of the scholar-gentleman class. The imagery painted on the exterior of this large shallow blue-and-white bowl belongs to this category. Its theme, the Three Friends of Winter, is exquisitely painted in underglaze blue in a composition that covers the entire body of the bowl. Because pine, plum, and bamboo flourish even under adverse conditions, they are grouped together as the Three Friends of Winter (suihan sanyou), symbols of the upstanding character of a scholar-gentleman when faced with hardship. The grouping also has seasonal overtones, as the blossoming plum and green bamboo are among the first plants to bud when winter, marked by the evergreen pine, turns to spring.

Each of the three motifs here is repeated twice so that the design will cover the entire surface. A six-character Xuande mark is written on theexterior just below the rim.

Bowls of this shape are usually called 'dice bowls' in the West, presumably because they were believed to have been used in throwing dice. However, some questions remain regarding their actual use. They are generally more thickly potted than other porcelains bearing the Xuande reign mark. While the thicker body may reflect the intended function of the piece--whether or not this was the rolling of dice--other explanations are possible. For example, this thickness is similar to that found in Xuande-period porcelains produced for use outside the court, suggesting that thicker porcelains with imperial marks were made to be given as gifts by members of the court, which could explain the combination of a reign mark and a thicker body. In this case, the use of popular themes with scholarly overtones such as the Three Friends might reflect the taste of the scholar-gentleman and other bureaucrats who were employed at the court.