A Chinese famille rose porcelain plaque dating from the Republic period. The plaque depicts a scholar with a hat and an attendant beneath a pine tree. It features a description and 1 seal. Dimensions are: 14 3/4 inches tall X 9 1/2 inches wide, 37.5 cm tall X 24.1 cm wide. All measurements are approximate. Condition: No noted damage. Provenance: From Mrs. Hwang in the San Francisco area, inherited from her grandfather, Zou Dianbang. Zou Dianbang was a successful Chinese businessman from the Guangzhou province, where he held the post of chairman of the Guangzhou Banking Association and the chairman of the Guangzhou General Chamber of Commerce. He became a millionaire in his 20s and applied his financial acumen to the support of certain key political figures, including Sun Yat-sen and Hu Hanmin, despite his personal lack of interest in politics. In 1928, Zou Dianbang founded the Beiyuan Restaurant, whose 'pick and fry' methodology, using ingredients from their nearby vegetable garden, has long associated his name with Cantonese cuisine.