Small circular center, possibly an inkwell. China, Qing dynasty, Daoguang period (1821-1850)

Small circular center, possibly an inkwell. China, Qing dynasty, Daoguang period (1821-1850).
Hand-painted white ceramic.
Sealon the base.
Measurements: 3 x 10 x 10 cm.

This circular center may have served as an inkwell judging by its small dimensions. It is decorated with vegetal ornaments on the outside and bats on the inside.
Emperor Daoguang, also known by his temple name Emperor Xuanzong of Qing, personal name Mianning, was the seventh emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the sixth Qing emperor to rule China proper, reigning from 1820 to 1850. His reign was marked by "external disasters and internal rebellions." These included the First Opium War and the start of the Taiping Rebellion, which nearly ended the dynasty. Historian Jonathan Spence characterizes Emperor Daoguang as a "well-meaning but ineffective man" who promoted officials who "presented a purist vision even though they had no say in the internal and external problems surrounding the dynasty."