Although plain white-bodied porcelains were favored throughout the Choson period (1392–1910), decorated versions of the same wares were also produced in large quantities. The Chinese blue-and-white wares of the Ming dynasty served as one model for Korean potters, who adopted the technique of underglaze cobalt-blue decoration. The motif of bamboo and plum, which is on many Choson blue-and-white porcelains, symbolizes steadfastness in the face of adversity, a Confucian ideal espoused by Chinese and Korean scholar-officials alike. Bamboo was revered for its ability to yield to the wind yet grow upright and straight, whereas plum blossoms, which thrive in the harsh conditions of early spring, were likened to a man of virtue. Bamboo and plum, which together with the orchid and the chrysanthemum are referred to as the Four Gentlemen, became among the most popular motifs in Korean art.