The openwork ring surrounding this disk consists of two dragons. They confront two characters that read chang le ("long-lasting happiness"). This phrase was the name of a palace building constructed during the Han dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220).

The choice of these characters, with their historical reference, is typical of 18th-century Chinese culture, well known for its fascination with ancient history. Disks themselves are a traditional form, appearing as early as the late Neolithic period.

Courtesy of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Arthur M. Sackler.