A famille rose jar with cover, late Qing dynasty, circa 1900.

The “Children at play” or “Children playing” motif (婴戏图 / 婴戏) is a metaphor which alludes to continuing the family line, marital blessings and lots of kids.It also implies fun, happiness, carefree and innocence and is seen on porcelain, folk arts, in paintings and embroideries quite a lot, though not exclusively. “Children at play” never depicts girls – this is an exclusively male only club. There are many many many variations on this auspicious theme from region to region and period to period.The motif goes back to the tang dynasty and this motif has changed over time through subtle changes in the imagery, reflecting the social conditions and stability of each of the various periods. During periods of declining prosperity bodies, clothing and particularly heads changed to reflect the times. Children depicted in prosperous times are more plump and carefree; scenes are livelier. In times of social unrest and/or less prosperity the imagery become more abstract and even distorted to some degree. With research and closer scrutiny it can be a useful tool in dating